Ears up over Mountain Lion near Santa Barbara’s East Beach locations
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Normally only as close as the foothills around Santa Barbara, a mountain lion has come down to the waterfront.
It was spotted Saturday and Sunday around East Beach.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife has been searching extensively for the lion with the help of the Santa Barbara Police Department. So far the cat has been elusive, but as recently as Sunday night it was still thought to be in the area.
Multiple patrol units were in the area Sunday morning when a newspaper delivery person saw the mountain lion on a wall by the pool inside the El Escorial Villas on Por la Mar near Cabrillo Blvd. That's right across from the beach.
Saturday morning, the big cat was on the sidewalk by the entrance gate near the condos and the adjacent park, Dwight Murphy Field on Ninos Drive.
It was also seen sniffing around at the Hyatt Centric hotel just a few steps away.
A special message to warn residents in the area was sent out by police in English and Spanish.
Authorities patrolled on foot and in vehicles for several hours without any other confirmed sighting.
Sunday night police and Fish and Wildlife biologists were inside the Santa Barbara Zoo adjacent to El Escorial checking the grounds and animals. Police had patrol officers in the area scouting for any signs of the cat.
Many residents in the area have been asking for information about the mountain lion prior to going outside or walking their pets.
Lt. Jaimie Dostal advised people to be alert but it was unlikely the mountain lion would be very active during daytime hours. He said they mainly like sunrise and sunset hours.
The access points for the mountain lion to get past Highway 101 include Sycamore creek, Cabrillo Blvd. and drainages from Montecito to the Bird Refuge.
Dostal said a dead opossum was found on the north east side of the property and it may have been a food source for the mountain lion.
In the last couple of years, there have been many mountain lion sightings in locations close to or directly in the populated portion of the city. Cameras have caught the big cats in Mission Canyon, Elings Park, the Jesusita Trail, off Ontare Road by upper State Street and in the heart of downtown on De la Guerra Street.
