This mountain lion is purely for illustration and is not the one reported in the story.
Photo: Diane Edwardson
I received an email from a neighbor reporting a mountain lion sighting this morning, near the south end of the Red Car Property. The neighbor reported sighting the large cat between houses near the southern intersection of Lake View & Silver Ridge. The neighbor looked up mountain lions and bobcats on-line and confirmed what she and her husband saw was a mountain lion. She reported it to Animal Services. A wildlife officer will investigate.
This is an unconfirmed sighting. I am merely passing information along in the event you think you've seen a mountain lion or bobcat in the neighborhood. You should report it immediately to Animal Services: (323) 225-WILD (9453) or toll free: (888) 452-7381. The Animal Services Wildlife Officer for our area is Greg Randall. If you see a mountain lion in the neighborhood: call 911 immediately.
Bobcats are found in Griffith Park and Elysian Park. The Griffith Park Mountain Lion found its way to Griffith Park a few years ago from the Verdugo Mountains via the Verdugo Wash and the Los Angeles River. It was considered a fluke that the cat found it's way to the park. Mountain lions prey on deer, which are native to Griffith Park. There are no deer or mountain lions in Elysian Park. For more info on mountain lions and urban wildlife: http://www.laanimalservices.com/aboutani_wildlife.htm
Since the Griffith Park Fire, wildlife has been turning up in neighborhoods where it has never been seen before. While it is possible that a mountain lion found its way here, it is very unlikely. It is more likely the big cat may be someone's escaped "pet." It is illegal to keep wildlife as pets without the proper permits, and totally inappropriate in an urban neighborhood.
