A mountain lion wandered through an Atascadero parking lot over the weekend. Surveillance video captured the mountain lion walking near a boat in the parking lot of Jet Boat Performance Parts of Sycamore road.
Anyone who sees a mountain lion in the Atascadero is asked to report it on the department’s website.
If you see a mountain lion, you’re advised to stay calm, slowly back away, yell in a deep voice or hit the panic button on your car alarm. Make yourself look large by waving a tree branch or walking stick. Stand tall.
Your advised against running away, crouching or screaming in a high pitch voice. That makes you look like a good victim and may inspire the mountain lion to attack.
Fish and Wildlife says sometimes mountain lions will come into city limits to eat. That’s why people are advised against feeding deer in the city limits. If you feed the deer, you are attracting mountain lions into your neighborhood.
Right now food for mountain lions can be scarce, so sightings are more common.
