Big Bear City, CA — There have been mountain lion sightings in the Big Bear Valley over the last week though, per local officials with the California Department of Fish and Game, all indications are that this is just one juvenile mountain lion that has ventured into residential neighborhoods. On Friday afternoon, April 30, residents in the Whispering Forest area along the North Shore, just north of the airport, report seeing the mountain lion, and one individual saw it attack a small dog in her neighborhood. Jeff Villepique, wildlife biologist with the Department of Fish and Game, tells KBHR that the carcass of a small dog was recovered, and indications are that the mountain lion jumped over a three-foot picket fence, in the daytime hours, to pursue the pet. It is thought that this same juvenile mountain lion killed a raccoon in the same area just a few days earlier. Villepique notes that the mountain lion, though in a neighborhood, was just half a mile from the forest boundary and, he adds, “The lion didn’t take any threatening actions, and was scared off by three people. The County’s tracker is trying to catch and remove that mountain lion, and that is in process.” Danny Stevenson, DFG game warden for our area, says that at this time there is no public safety threat. However, Villepique reminds, “People need to be aware that the natural areas surrounding Big Bear are home to mountain lions; the Bear Valley is home to wild animals, including black bears, mountain lions and coyotes, all of which are potentially dangerous. The most important thing is that children, particularly small children, should be supervised at all times. Pets should be kept inside at night and, also, jogging alone at dawn and dusk is not a good idea. Residents and visitors should learn how to live with our native wildlife. This is a reminder that we live in mountain lion territory and I encourage people to educate themselves, using information resources at dfg.ca.gov, but, again, we don’t believe this specific juvenile mountain lion is posing a threat to people at this time.”
