They are suspected of making off with a small dog in Pescadero. They're being blamed for mysterious sheep deaths in Sonoma County. And local outdoors writer Tom Stienstra even found one lurking outside the back door of his Northern California house the other day.
They're mountain lions. And
lately they seem to be making a ton of cameo appearances all over the Bay Area and up and down the state. Here's a local listing of where the animals have been spotted or at least have been suspected of showing up, sometimes to the alarm of ranchers, wildlife officials and panicked pet owners.
On the Prowl in PescaderoResidents in and around this sleepy coastal burg have been on edge in recent days as county officials are warning the public there may be an aggressive mountain lion in the area. Over the weekend, a resident in the 5000 block of Pescadero Creek Road let their small pet outside the home around 9 p.m. Saturday. A short time later, the resident reportedly heard the pet yelp and it has not been seen since.
County officials said that while they can't positively confirm that it was a lion that snatched that particular pet there have been reports recently of an aggressive lion in the same area that has killed livestock. Officials cautioned residents to keep a sharp eye on their pets and any livestock in their care, especially late at night and early in the morning.
Comment: See also: Mountain lions are showing up all over the San Francisco Bay Area - and beyond