Several mountain lion sightings reported in Santa Cruz County neighborhoods
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) — Mountain lions have been spotted strolling through Santa Cruz County neighborhoods this May. Residents living in Aptos, Capitola, and Watsonville all reported cougar sightings.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office posted a video on Facebook showing a mountain lion exploring one Aptos resident's garden on May 27.
'There have been multiple recent sightings of mountain lions in neighborhoods across our county. This big kitty was spotted the morning of May 27th in an Aptos neighborhood,' the sheriff's office wrote. The curious cougar had a tracking collar around its neck.
The Santa Cruz Puma Project, a partnership between University of California Santa Cruz and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, uses telemetry collars on mountain lions to collect continuous location data for research. SCPP's Puma Tracker displays real-time satellite tracking data so the public can remotely 'explore the lives of these amazing animals.'
The sheriff's office said anyone who encounters a mountain lion in-person should try to look big, be loud, and back away slowly to avoid conflict.
SCCSO wrote, 'Do not run. Running may trigger its instinct to chase. Raise your arms. Open your jacket. Stand tall and back away slowly while facing the lion. Use a loud, calm voice to assert dominance. Pick up small children.' Small children and pets should not be left alone outside, especially at night, deputies said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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