Full Notification

San Mateo, CA – On November 6, 2022 at approximately 5:25 p.m., a community member saw a mountain lion near the creek along a hiking trail at Laurelwood Park located at 3471 Glendora Drive. That was the second mountain lion sighting of the day – the first being in the one-hundred block of Aragon Blvd at 1:25 p.m. where a backyard chicken was attacked. Officers searched the surrounding areas for the mountain lion(s); however, the mountain lion(s) were not located.

This alert is for information only and has been issued only as a precaution to our community. The San Mateo Police Department would like to remind you of a few simple tips to protect you and your loved ones from mountain lions.

PLEASE REMEMBER THESE SAFETY TIPS REGARDING MOUNTAIN LIONS

Although it would be rare for a mountain lion to approach humans, you should follow a few simple rules to keep you and your family safe:
• Do not feed deer. It is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
• DO NOT APPROACH a mountain lion if seen, especially one that is feeding or with offspring. Most mountain lions will try to avoid confrontation.
• Avoid hiking or jogging through wooded areas when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, or at night.
• Keep a close watch on small children and small pets when hiking or traveling in or about wooded areas.
• Do not run if you encounter a mountain lion. Instead, face the animal, make noise, and try to look bigger by waving your arms; throw rocks or other objects; pick up small children.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MOUNTAIN LIONS PLEASE VISIT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE WEBSITE AT https://wildlife.ca.gov/ or www.keepmewild.org.