Mountain Lion Spotted Twice On Campus

Overnight sightings around B Street area of apparently healthy young cat

Humboldt Sentinel
12/22/08
By Sentinel Staff

ARCATA -- Two early-morning sightings of a mountain lion on the Humboldt State University campus this week have prompted university police to issue safety reminders to the community on the chance that they encounter a mountain lion in the area.

“If you come across a mountain lion, you want to hold your ground and convince the lion that you are a threat,” UPD chief Tom Dewey stated in a release.

Dewey offered the following tips upon a mountain lion encounter:

Do not approach a mountain lion. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give it a way out.

Do not run from a mountain lion. Running may stimulate the animal’s instinct to chase. Stand and face the animal, and make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up so they don’t panic and run. Try to pick up children without turning your back to the lion. Try not to crouch or bend over.

Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your shirt or jacket if possible. Throw stones, branches, or whatever is in reach without bending down. Wave your arms slowly and speak in a loud voice.

Fight back if attacked. Convince the animal that you are a danger to it!

Immediately report all encounters with a mountain lion near our campus.

This week’s sightings, Wednesday and Friday at around 3 a.m., were by HSU custodial staff working along the B Street corridor south of Laurel Drive. In one case a lion was spotted crouched under a parked truck and in another instance the lion was seen gazing into a closed glass door. There have been at least two other nighttime sightings in the same area in recent weeks.

In all cases, the animals’ health and behavior appeared to be normal.

Police speculate that the recent sightings are probably the same young lion that has been displaced from higher terrain by inclement weather or other lions. Interviews with witnesses indicate that it appears to be healthy and acting normally, and that it typically either hides or runs away from humans.

“It sounds like this is a young healthy lion who is behaving normally, active at night, trying to avoid people while it is hunting for raccoons and other typical prey,” Dewey stated.

University Police have reported the lion sightings to Arcata City Police and Environmental Services departments, as well as the State Department of Fish and Game.

According to Dewey, there has never been a known attack by a mountain lion on a human in the Arcata-Humboldt State community. Even so, police encourage anyone on campus to immediately report any lion sightings to the UPD. This will allow them to respond, investigate, and confirm that the lion’s behavior does not indicate a threat to safety on campus.

To report a mountain lion sighting, call University Police at (707) 826-5555. More information on California mountain lions can be found at: www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/lion.html