By Kamryn Martell and Katherine Quezada
Dozens of people slowly gathered near Cortina Drive and Gravino Road in Valencia on Friday.
But what was catching the attention of this growing crowd of people?
A mountain lion taking a nap on a tree.
The large cat, which was going in and out of sleep, was perched in a tree filled with branches and lots of shaded area.
It was first spotted at approximately 10:59 a.m., according to Sgt. Justin Boosalis, a spokesman with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
The caller who first spotted the animal met deputies to show them where the mountain lion was, he added, and they then contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to retrieve the animal.
But as Fish and Wildlife biologists made their way to the suburban neighborhood, nearby residents, some who had been unaware that the cat was in the area, stopped to catch a glimpse of this “once in a lifetime” opportunity, said resident and photographer Rhonda Elward, who was there with Nicole Wilde, another photographer and Canyon Country resident.
They both kept a safe distance and remained quiet as they slowly began snapping photos of the mountain lion, who occasionally yawned and watched a nearby crow, which was seated higher up on a branch before it flew away.
Coyotes, bobcats, and other small critters are what Wilde has spotted near where she lives, she said, but as a resident of the Santa Clarita Valley for 27 years, she’s never seen a mountain lion so close to homes.
“There was just a puff of smoke as I went out the door. I got here very fast,” she said as she chuckled. “It’s exciting. This is the first mountain lion that I’ve seen out here, even though I know we have them.”
But with the growing commotion and attention for the cat, it also served as a reminder for nearby residents to stay vigilant with the nearby wildlife as they on occasion pay a visit to the neighborhoods.
A resident who only identified herself as Isabele, said in her 40 years living in the area, she’s only seen one other mountain lion in the Stevenson Ranch area.
“It’s awesome,” she said when asked about seeing a mountain lion so close to home, but, “I don’t want anything to happen to it. I want it to be safely secured,” she added.
“We’ve taken over this part of the land for 40 years. When they need water or they need food they come out,” she said.
Ryan Lynch, a game warden for Fish and Wildlife, was keeping a close eye on the cat near a blocked off area of the paseo bridge as he also kept the public at safe distance.
He could not give information as to what biologists would do once they arrived to assess the situation, but he was hopeful it would be a positive outcome as long as residents continued to be respectful, he said.
“It’s to protect you guys,” Lynch said. “The last thing we need is somebody getting attacked by a mountain lion.”
Crowds of families and a few passersby stopped throughout the day to snap photos of the sleeping mountain lion.
The Valencia South Valley Homeowners Association also notified residents through email about the mountain lion and provided safety tips including: avoid walking alone, keeping pets indoors, securing trash and food, and to not approach the animal.
“People need to be aware, [people] need to be more cautious and be respectful of it, and keep your distance,” Elward said. “We’re taking over their territory, this is their home as much as it is ours, they were here first.”
For more information on wildlife and safety tips, visit tinyurl.com/2dfvms9d.
