A mountain lion was hit and killed Tuesday morning on Interstate 8 near La Mesa. It's the second time in the past three months that a mountain lion has been killed on a local roadway.
In March, Oceanside neighbors reported a mountain lion peeping inside a movie theater window. Later that week, a car hit and killed one.
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The mountain lion found near La Mesa was so big that the driver who called in through it was a deer.
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“I hate to see that because we're in their territory, really,” Cheyenne Cook, who grew up in La Mesa, said.
Vehicle strikes are the most common cause of death for mountain lions, according to Andy Blue with the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the mountain lion was between 3-5 years old. The animal wasn’t collared or tagged and could’ve wandered down from the Scripps Ranch area or Mission Trails looking for food.
“For it to be seen in these different locations, it's not that uncommon for it to be the same cat,” Blue said. “They cover a lot of ground — 10 to 12 miles a day.”
Half the state is considered mountain lion habitat, but seeing or interacting with them is still rare. Blue said this goes to show the lengths mountain lions will go to avoid humans.
“We just have to remember that we're out in these beautiful areas of San Diego County that provides so much hiking and mountain biking and rock climbing and everything that we enjoy,” he said. “We're in their neighborhoods and in their territory.”
If someone is going to venture into mountain lion country, the Humane Society suggests going in a group and making noise to avoid any surprise run-ins.
Back at home, don’t let pets out in the yard by themselves and keep them on a leash when walking them.
“I worry about it, but like, as a pet owner, especially as a pet owner of like a smaller dog, I think it's something that you just need to be aware of living in an area like this,” Cook said.
Especially for those who live in a more rural area, don't feed pets outside because that's what attracts a lot of animals that coyotes and mountain lions prey on.
California Fish and Wildlife recovered the lion for a necropsy — similar to an autopsy — to learn more about its age and genetics. The public can report sightings or concerns to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well.
