Mountain lion spotted near popular Dragoon Gulch Trail,
Several mountain lion sightings within city limits of Sonora in recent days prompted the Sonora Police Department to issue a warning Thursday and let people know what to do if they should encounter one.
The department said that the most recent call it received about a mountain lion being spotted was at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Dispatch logs noted that the cougar was seen near the trailhead on Alpine Way for the popular Dragoon Gulch Trail.
“We share our mountain community with all types of wildlife, you shouldn’t be alarmed,” the department stated in a Facebook post on Thursday. “However, you should always use caution when you have an encounter.”
Sonora police dispatch logs show previous sightings were reported on Feb. 26 when three people said they saw a mountain lion near a red dumpster on South Washington Street, followed hours later by someone who saw one on a hillside near South Washington Street.
Mark Abraham, a state Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist who covers eastern Stanislaus, northern Mariposa and Tuolumne counties, said on Thursday that mountain lion sightings are more common in Tuolumne County than people might think.
“Everywhere in Tuolumne County is pretty much good mountain lion habitat,” he said.
Another reason that Abraham said they are fairly common in the Sonora area is due to the amount of prey, specifically deer.
Abraham said he’s received reports about sightings of mountain lions in areas from The Junction shopping center in East Sonora to Long Barn, though it’s actually “extremely rare” to see one of the reclusive animals in person because they typically stay away from people.
“It’s actually kind of a neat thing to see them,” he said. “They are a predator and could be dangerous if put in the wrong position, but they generally don’t want anything to do with us.”
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has a website dedicated to what people should do if they encounter a mountain lion due to the number of interactions with people being on the increase in recent years, which is largely attributed to there being more humans in places they call home.
Though mountain lions primarily eat deer, they will prey on vulnerable pets and livestock if allowed. People have also fallen prey to the animals, but such cases are considered extremely rare.