Residents in Oceanside are on alert after several mountain lion sightings have been reported in their city.
Around 2 a.m. on March 5, security guards patrolling downtown Oceanside spotted the mountain lion roaming the streets around Mission Avenue.
“When we first saw it, it was rounding the corner,” security guard Markus Davis said. “We were able to scare it off with our spotlights.”
Security cameras at Oceanside City Hall captured the lion roaming the parking garage and the plaza area. A janitor working early morning on Tuesday at Regal Cinemas spotted the lion peering through the glass doors.
“This behavior isn’t out of the ordinary. It’s just this is happening in more urban setting and folks are catching it on security cameras,” said Megan Senour with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It looked like a juvenile and it’s just trying to figure its way back to its habitat.”
Senour believes the lion is a juvenile who’s lost.
Wildlife experts advise residents with small animals to keep them inside, especially at night. If you spot a mountain lion, make sure to give it space and never approach or corner it.
“I’m genuinely surprised,” Oceanside resident Brooks Snow said. “Just having moved back from Colorado, we are used to interacting with nature and being on our toes, but here, it’s not something I’m expecting.”
Any sightings should be reported to the Oceanside Police Department’s non-emergency line at 760-435-4911.
