Mountain lions and bears, oh my. Wildlife in Moorpark, Santa Paula put public on alert

A mountain lion in Moorpark and a bear in Santa Paula were spotted this week in residential neighborhoods.

A Moorpark resident took cell phone video of the cougar late Tuesday evening in the vicinity of Southhampton and Christian Barrett roads, according to the city. Officials said in a news release the city's animal control division confirmed the large cat in the video, seen from a safe distance, was an adult mountain lion.

Anyone who sees a cougar is advised to call 911, city officials said. Residents should also keep their pets inside at night, including at dusk and dawn, and to never leave pet food outside.

In Santa Paula, police received a call at 4 a.m. Thursday about a black bear seen near a recreational vehicle at Leavens Court, police Cmdr. Eric Starna said. The animal was last seen an hour later heading south past houses on Leavens Court but wasn’t located after that, he said.

In a video provided by police, the bear walks in front of a house, passing between the garage doors and cars parked in the driveway.

Sarna said police were assisted at the scene by Jessica West, a human-wildlife conflict specialist with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. She told police that black bears aren’t confrontational and will leave if they don’t find food.

The state wildlife agency recommends being "bear smart." Its website urges residents to remove unsecured food from their cars. The wildlife agency also provides a list of recommendations when in the outdoors and camping.

Anyone who sees a bear should keep a safe distance and back away slowly. The public is also advised not to run. Residents should also call 911.

Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Mountain lion seen in Moorpark, bear in Santa Paula