Mountain lion caught on camera in Aptos neighborhood

By Casey Robertson

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    APTOS, Calif. (KSBW) — Home security video captured a mountain lion roaming a neighborhood in Aptos this week.

The big cat was spotted Tuesday morning around 7 a.m. on Sierra Vista Drive. That’s in the area near Aptos Junior High School and the Aptos Polo Grounds.

Anthony Skelton, who lives at the home, says he went to check his phone in the morning and had multiple alerts coming from his home security cameras.

“I looked at it and it said pet on the app. I’m like, oh, someone’s dog got out, and immediately I looked closer at the image, and I was like, OK, that’s a mountain lion. It was making its rounds. It must have come from the hills this way or from the creek, which is right over here, and got lost in the neighborhood trying to find its way out,” Skelton said.

In the security video, you can see the mountain lion is wearing a tracking collar. That’s from the Santa Cruz Puma Project, which tracks mountain lions in our area. They’ve identified him as a 2 to 3-year-old male lion named “168-m.” They believe he’s looking for new territory.

According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, there have been multiple reported sightings of mountain lions in neighborhoods across Santa Cruz County in recent weeks. Not just in Aptos, but also in Capitola and Watsonville. A mountain lion was spotted in Watsonville on May 16 and on May 19 near 14000 West Beach Street.

With the recent sightings, deputies wanted to remind the public to stay alert and cautious.

They offered the following tips:

Avoid running, as it may trigger the lion’s instinct to chase. Raise your arms to appear larger. Open your jacket if you’re wearing one to amplify your size. Stand tall and slowly back away while keeping your face toward the lion. Make noise using a loud and calm voice to assert dominance. Throw rocks or objects if necessary to deter the lion. Never turn your back; always maintain eye contact. Pick up small children to protect them. Ensure small children and pets are not left outside unattended, particularly at night.

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