A California family learned the hard way that leaving the front door open is not such a good idea after a mountain lion sauntered into the house Sunday night creating a scary moment.
The encounter occurred around 9:30 in the city of Sonora, located in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, according to the Modesto Bee and Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Andrea Benson told the Bee that when the family and mountain lion saw each other, both ran—the family running downstairs and the cougar running into an upstairs bathroom.
The Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the family’s 911 call and formulated a plan to coax the mountain lion out of the house. The final moments were captured in video (be sure to watch to the end):
With permission from the homeowner, the upstairs bathroom window was broken to create an escape route for the mountain lion. The deputies and warden also set up a ladder outside the window, and then pounded on the walls and shone a flashlight at the open window.
After a while, the mountain lion took the hint and fled through the open window.
“He did not threaten the resident or steal anything,” the Tuolumne County Sheriff quipped on Facebook, adding that “he did get a stern warning about the break-in before being released.”
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The Sheriff’s Office also took the opportunity to warn the public about mountain lion encounters, writing:
“Fish and Wildlife do not consider mountain lion sightings near human habitation a public safety concern as long as the lion is not exhibiting aggressive behavior towards people. Mountain lions tend to be shy and extremely stealthy.
“That said, keep doors to your home and outbuildings closed and secure. If you do encounter a mountain lion here are some helpful safety tips: make noise, act defiant and not afraid, maintain eye contact, never run away, slowly create distance, and fight back if you’re attacked!”
Photo courtesy of Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.
