Mountain lion sighting at Fairbanks Ranch (sounds familiar?) on May 21, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Patrol says...
Shades of September, another six months, another mountain lion sighting (allegedly) in the Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. area. The Rancho Santa Fe Patrol this week said:
"Fairbanks Ranch Security reported that a resident's employee in their community spotted a Mountain Lion on Saturday May 21. It was on a horse ranch near El Apajo and the San Dieguito River area. This is a common area for these animals to be seen."
Well, maybe, maybe not. The last mountain lion "sighting" in the area turned out to be a media mirage. As first reported at Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News, it was picked up by EVERY media outlet in San Diego County (without attribution, by the way) and even across Southern California, resulting in a massive media blitz full of sound and fury, signifying...
Nothing, d'uh. It turned out to be a "sighting" by a highly unreliable source -- newspaper delivery person -- and was never corroborated.
For the ORIGINAL story that kicked off last fall's faux mountain lion uproar visit Ah-Ha Rancho anta Fe News HERE.
The Rancho Santa Fe Patrol this week added: "As far as we know, the sighting has not been confirmed by Fish and Game. See earlier posts for precaustions with these animals."
Yeah, right, whatever.
Just in case you spot a mountain lion though:
Living in Mountain Lion Country
These are California Department of Fish and Game tips to prevent deadly conflicts with these beautiful wild animals:
- Don’t feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
- Deer-proof your landscaping by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. For tips, request A Gardener’s Guide to Preventing Deer Damage from DFG offices.
- Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
- Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended.
- Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
- Provide sturdy, covered shelters for sheep, goats, and other vulnerable animals.
- Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, and at night.
- Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.
If a resident wants to report a sighting or a problem, they can call the Department of Fish and Game at (858) 467-4257. For general information, call (858) 467-4201.
Also, visit the California Department of Fish and Game site: www.keepmewild.org.
