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Mountain lion spotted in La Mesa ?
My Neighbor told me there was a mountain lion spotted in somebody’s yard near lemon avenue school. Did anybody else hear about this?
Not super surprising. Back in '05, it was estimated that around 90 mountain lions lived in San Diego County out of the 4000+ in the state. They're usually pretty solitary though, so sightings aren't super common (or weren't before cameras were everywhere all the time). Not unusual to find a den or scat in the backcountry. It definitely seems like they're being seen in town more and more often.
One of the tracked lions, when he passed, and they collected data from the tracker, they found the range was greater than expected. I can’t remember the exact distance but it was something like hundreds of miles.
So even if we see one in La Mesa (I’m on 70th), likely just passing through unlike coyotes which are seen more frequently and seem to hang around more in town.
BTW I worked in our back mountains at sixth grade outdoor science school for 30 years, only ever got a glimpse of two mountain lions (evidence yes but actual cat rarely). Fortunately the cats do not like loud noises which were easily provided by large groups of 12 year olds 🤷🏼♀️😂
I saw one next to an apartment complex in the UTC area while out with my dog, about two years ago.
How far from the canyon? I just saw a coyote in daylight like at 8:30/9AM on Nobel
Coyotes arnt really nocturnal. They usually hunt at dawn and dusk. They have adapted to city life and are more active at night.
The word for that is crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk. Coyotes also don't give a fuck and will stare at you from your own yard. Mountain lions actively avoid humans
I couldn’t think of the word at the time. I moved out of Sd and coyotes are different here.
On the other side of Nobel park, closer to the green space/creek between the townhomes.
The video is posted to a different San Diego subreddit.
Yea, my yard. Definitely mountain lion.
What’s your address? JK, what general part of La Mesa?
Kinda near Baskin Robbins
Jackson Dr and La Mesa Blvd
I saw the video and live just a couple blocks down. That was a big mountain lion. Would definitely take anyone’s pet for a midnight snack.
Just saw either a bobcat or a juvenile mountain lion in my front yard on May 5th around 8:30pm. I live in Del Cerro right on College Ave (busy street/not immediately near a canyon). My first reaction was that it was a bobcat because of its size but it had a long tail so then I thought it might be a juvenile mountain lion. I notified Mission Trails and they said it really could have been either. I'm still not sure despite comparing internet pictures of both but I'm leaning toward the bobcat mostly because 1) they're a little more common and 2) it's hard for me to wrap my head around the possibility that an actual mountain lion could have walked through my front yard.
Woah that's kinda creepy, my grandma lives in that area and has a lot of trees and bushes outside in her yard do you know what part of lemon avenue school it was seen? Going to tell her to be careful being outside at night.
I'm not surprised... we live in their range. People always amaze me that they think any area they live in should be devoid of wildlife. Our area has deer, mountain lions, coyotes, rattlesnakes, bobcats, etc. The big mammals you don't see all the time but they pop up now and again.
I remember hearing about multiple mountain lions being spotted in La Mesa after we moved out of our Mt Helix rental. I now live by SDSU and my dog was recently attacked by a coyote while we were standing near her in our fenced backyard. Beautiful but deadly...they have earned my respect and fear.
There was a photo of one in Mira Mesa on nextdoor last week
Yeah. The video is on social media too.
I saw a juvenile early one morning on Mt. Helix last year. Definitely elevated my HR beyond what the walk was doing. We have plenty of coyotes, possums and trash pandas. Not surprised to have big cats stroll through.
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Share the video, I'd love to see it.
Be careful. Get some bear spray! https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/child-attacked-by-mountain-lion-at-los-penasquitos-canyon-preserve
new here? that happens all the time. They've been seen in downtown San Diego
All the time is a bit of a stretch. And don't be a dick.
I've been in San Diego for 13 years, I live right next to Mission Trails....never saw a mountain lion.
I’ve lived here almost 50 years and spent lots of time hiking in the canyons, etc. I’ve only seen a cougar once and it was in San Marcos.
I remember one of those informational displays at Mission Trails saying mountain lions aren’t in that area.
Yet, the pandemic might have shifted animal activity. Read something about there was increased activity of predatory mammals
I know they've been seen in my neighborhood before. But I've never seen one. I see and hear coyotes all the time though.
Maybe no mountain lions are known to live in the park, but they definitely will pass through it. I've seen dashcams of a mountain lion crossing Navajo by the golf course, as well as ring camera videos from houses in San Carlos of a lion stalking around. There's a decent amount of deer in and around mission trails, I'm sure mountain lions hunt them.
what I say that was a dick? I just asked are you new here because this gets brought up all the time with people seeing them. Dont be so sensitive
yes people see them all the time on ring cams. I'm in carmell valley and pretty sure one lives in the valley behind my home because i've seen them 2-3 times on my front porch
In 40 years, I've never heard of a Mountain Lion downtown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih-8OAMYaLI
Stop lying!! I’ve never seen any in Downtown San Diego!!!