California DFW on recent cougar sightings: No cause for alarm
A recent increase in cougar sightings and reports across California has officials with California Department of Fish and Wildlife urging residents to remain calm but to take reasonable precautions. Officials note that there is a spike in reports each spring as residents begin to spend more time outside and deer transition from winter to summer range (and the mountain lions follow). CDFW also attributes many urban cougar sightings to the fact that people are illegally feeding wild animals such as deer and rodents (a misdemeanor offence in California), which draws the cats into places they normally wouldn’t spend much time. It’s always refreshing to hear officials urging calmness and responsibility in a situation like this. The fact that mountain lions pose little threat to people shouldn’t deter us from taking the necessary safety precautions, however.
To learn more on how to live and recreate safely in mountain lion country, visit our Living with Cougars page. Click here to read the full article in Plumas County News.
