Mountain lion spotted twice in three days in Lodi area

May 20—The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office is warning residents in Lodi and Acampo to take extra precautions when venturing outside after receiving two separate reports of mountain lions over the last four days.

Deputies responded to the report of a mountain lion spotted on East Harvest Road in Acampo on Saturday, but were unable to capture the animal.

The Sheriff's Office received another sighting report Monday in an orchard on Peltier Road in Lodi.

"We are aware that mountain lions are inherently dangerous and ask that you please remain vigilant and keep your pets indoors," the Sheriff's Office said in a social media post. "Our deputies are searching the area with the anticipation of trapping the animal if it is spotted."

On Monday, residents posted on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page inquiring about any updates.

"I just heard it around midnight behind my building," Lisa Kimberly Delk-Noonan posted. "And I live in the Acampo (apartments). Their sound is undeniable. Been a long time since I heard one. I was thinking 'am I hearing things.' I wondered what the cops and drones were out here for earlier."

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, mountain lions are the second largest member of the wildcat family in North America, with the largest geographic range of carnivores in the western hemisphere from southern Chile to the Canadian Yukon.

The animal is known by more than 40 different common names, including puma, cougar, panther, red tiger, catamount, and screamer.

Male mountain lions can be nearly 5 1/2 feet in length and weigh as much as 170 pounds, while females can be about 4 1/2 feet in length and weigh as much as 110 pounds. The tail on both can be as long as 36.2 inches, according to CDFW.

They live in diverse habitats throughout the state, including forests, the coast, mountains and foothills, and can be found wherever mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, or feral hogs are present.

The CDFW said mountain lions are typically solitary and elusive, and the agency receives hundreds of sighting reports each year.

Few sightings result in a mountain lion being identified as an imminent threat to public safety and killed under CDFW Wildlife Public Safety Guidelines, the agency said.

Most reports are resolved by providing species information or technical assistance. Cases where mountain lions threaten people are immediately addressed.

Attacks on humans are rare, the CDFW said, as a person is 1,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion.

There have been less than 50 verified mountain lion attacks on humans in California since 1890, the agency said, adding that of those, only six have been fatal.

In most cases the person was alone when the attacked occurred, the agency said.

The last reported fatal mountain lion attack was reported in March, when a 21-year-old man was killed in El Dorado County. It was reported that he and his 18-year-old brother were searching for deer antler sheds when the attack occurred.

The younger brother suffered severe neck and face injuries, according to reports.

There have been no reported attacks in San Joaquin County, according to the CDFW.

According to News-Sentinel archives, the last mountain lion sighting in the county occurred last August in Morada.

The animal had been sighted in a residential backyard on La Loma Way near Los Cerritos Road. The area is east of Highway 99 and south of Eight Mile Road.

The CDFW determined the animal was not aggressive, nor did it present an immediate danger.

If a mountain lion does not pose a threat, CDFW will try to guide the animal back to its nearest suitable habitat by monitoring or securing the local area to allow it to return on its own.

Officials may also actively haze the animal to deter it, or capture it to relocate it.

If the animal displays aggressive behavior toward humans, the department will not relocate it because of the risk it may pose to others.

If the mountain lion is declared a public safety threat, CDFW and local law enforcement will work quickly to remove any threat in the most humane manner possible.

If a mountain lion is considered non-releasable due to injury, disease or habituation, CDFW will try to permanently placement the animal with partnering agencies.

Most facilities, including wildlife sanctuaries, have limited space or resources to accept large wild animals for exhibit, the CDFW said.

The Sheriff's Office encourages residents to call 209-468-4400, Option 1, if a mountain lion is seen in the area.

For more information about mountain lions, visit wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Mountain-Lion