Rocklin Police Alert Residents Of Possible Mountain Lion Sightings

The Rocklin Police Department is alerting people in some neighborhoods after receiving reports of three “big cat” or mountain lion sightings over the past two months.

The first sighting was reported Feb. 21 at about 4:26 p.m. on Morgan Court. A resident reported seeing a bobcat in his backyard and provided a photograph of a large cat resembling a mountain lion. The animal was gone before officers arrived at the scene. But authorities said the incident was a "credible sighting" of a mountain lion and reported it to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Another sighting was reported on April 4 at about 1:53 p.m. near Parker Whitney School. School officials placed the school on lockdown as police officers combed the area, searching for paw prints or scat. The responding officers, however, were unable to find any physical evidence of a mountain lion.

The last incident took place April 6 at 11:48 p.m. in the 5300 block of Humboldt Drive. A resident reported "a large cat or mountain lion," saying it could be responsible for killing a domesticated cat. Responding officers were again unable to find any sign of a mountain lion, but reported the incident to the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. 

Statistically speaking, a person is one thousand times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Out of the hundreds of sightings reported annually in the state, fewer than three precent were considered to be public safety threats.

California Department Of Fish and Wildlife FAQs

The Rocklin Police Department released the following tips for residents. 

• Be vigilant and maintain an awareness of your surroundings
• Keep an eye on children and small animals, particularly in wooded areas and at dusk or nighttime

In an event of a mountain lion encounter: 

• Make yourself appear as large as possible.  Do not crouch down or bend over
• Never turn your back or run from a mountain lion
• Slowly create distance and give the animal a chance to escape
• Protect your pets and keep them inside if possible
• Call the police department and report all sightings

*Note: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife defines a mountain lion attack as physical contact between a human and mountain lion resulting in phsyical injury or death of a person. An attack is verified when a physician, law enforcement officer or CDFW personnel determines the injuries were caused by a mountain lion. According to historical reports, four additional fatal incidents involving six victims occurred around the turn of the previous century. Furthermore, two additional incidents have been reported by the media as attacks. However, they do not fit the criteria of verifiable attacks on humans and were not confirmed. One incident involved a turkey hunter who was camouflaged and calling for turkeys when a mountain lion approached from behind. Immediately after the mountain lion confronted the hunter and realized that the hunter was not a turkey, the lion ran away. This is not judged to be an attack on a human. Every indication suggests that if the hunter had not been camouflaged and calling like a turkey, the mountain lion would have avoided him. The other incident on the Los Padres National Forest was described as a mountain lion attack on a boy near a stream. However, the alleged injuries were not verified by a physician, law enforcement officer or CDFW personnel.

Click here to see an interactive graphic on mountain lion incidents