Pretty cool. No surprise that there are mountain lions in this area. Seeing one in the middle of the day is kind of rare, though.

I saw PAPD cars parked on the island on the Univ/Woodland overpass over the creek. But the cops were actually out of their cars, hanging out by the creek. Thought they were looking for a bad guy, but must've been look for a big cat. Hope it stays safe and doesn't eat anyone's pet or go after anyone.

There have been a lot of deer in town lately too. One was called in in College Terrace. Another at San Antonio and Middlefield (bizarre).

qq

Thanks for always providing useful inside info! Do you know if they caught any of the deer? That's awful for one to be at San Antonio & Middlefield - way too busy. Also, I didn't think PA Animal Control had dart guns like SM County, who use theirs frequently. Can you comment?

I hadn't heard about deer (one or more?) at Middlefield and San Antonio. When was this? How could it have gotten there?

Maybe it smelled all of the flowers and plants at Summerwinds Nursery, there on the corner. THAT would have made an interesting story and photo op!

I have seen a few Cougars around Midtown, but I'm too old to worry about them, dang it!

Mountain Lion Lover,

How dare you criticize the professionalism of the officer who shot the lion downtown several years ago. If the officer had not acted quickly and a child was injured, you'd still be bad mouthing PAPD. The lion made a bad decision to wonder downtown via the creek and was still in the city when daylight broke. Yes, the lions decision cost it is life. Just like the ones that decided to cross a busy freeway. It is a lack of natural range and the lion's increasing population that is starting to harm them, not the professional officers who are sworn to protect its citizens.

"Maybe it smelled all of the flowers and plants at Summerwinds Nursery"

Or maybe it smelled Mr. Lion coming after him/her! Looks a lot better down here than up in those dry hills, trying to outrun a hungry cat. Think like a logical deer, and it will make sense!

Lion to PAPD: "Don't tase me bro!"

Lion to PAPD: "Don't profile me, either!"

Deer get to San Antonio by coming down Adobe Creek and climbing out at 101 where it goes under the freeway. We've seen one buck over here near Greer Park. They panic once they're out of the creek, and they race off down the streets.

the resolution of the environmental problem should not be at the expense of innocent and unwary humans who just want to walk the streets of their city without ear.

i feel strongly pro-environment, but as we build more houses who are we fooling to think that either the mountain lions are all going to die or we have to live with people being harmed by these animals.

no one wants to live in high density towns, but unless we get serious about saving the environment it will happen anyway AND we lose the environment.

I remember when there were horses grazing at Page Mill and El Camino, and there were virtually no houses up by Foothill Park. That is all changed now.

When will we realize that we must control out numbers, and our footprint?

"When will we realize that we must control out numbers, and our footprint?" You first.

It's interesting to note that these sightings occur at about this time of year; see Web Link - just about the time that big birds are seen catching the small fish trapped in ponds as the creek drys up. Perhaps mountain lions are also attracted by this source of food?

Is the camera still in the creek? Web Link

Why didn't Menlo Park notify creekside residents?

I second MenloJim. Why weren't MP residents notified? We have small dogs and it would have been nice to be notified. Nevertheless, we're always more cautious at this time of year - raccoons, skunks, wildcats, and now, mountain lions. There has been a LOT of hawk activity near the few remaining ponds near our house. Creekside residents need to understand that the Creek is its own eco-system. It's up to us who enjoy living near it to understand both its dangers and its beauty.

Dems good eatin'

We had a young deer on our street this morning near Cowper and E. Meadow. The poor thing was terrified! I am sure it came from one of the creeks! I hope that the deer won't be shot and killed!

Ask Bill Warrior what to do. A friend to animals.

He & the other PA Animal Control Officers work cleverly to help the animals, both wild & domesticated. Getting deer is always a timing vs traffic thing, from what I've seen. I saw a fox El Camino at Alma one night a few years ago (we were all stopped at the red & it just came trotting across). No doubt, coming from and/or headed to the creek.

Mountain lion to humans:

"Don't get excited! YOU are continuously invading and stealing MY hunting and living spaces."

Walter, I see you commenting all over these boards with smart alec know it all quips. If you are going to blame me for my footprint or my descendents, shouldn't you know something about what you are talking about first, or you just don't worry about that. That states a lot about the value of your opinions in my viewpoint.

Bruce, Malthus was wrong, Ehrlich was wrong, you are wrong. I prefer to call myself an Intelligent Alec with the wry humor an intelligent needs to keep from crying.

I should be working, but I can't resist:

Not PAPD says: "The lion made a bad decision to wonder downtown via the creek and was still in the city when daylight broke. "

And Sean says:

"Think like a logical deer, and it will make sense!"

Is it me, or are we anthromorphizing the deer a tad here? I would like to meet a logical deer, Sir, especially one that makes good decisions! :-)

The sooner we eradicate all these scarry lions, deer, raccons, skunks, squirrels, mosquitoes & houseflys the better.

A deer was struck and (I presume) killed on 101 around 11:30am today. The deer lay in the lane next to the carpool lane, Southbound 101 between the Embarcadero/Oregon exit and the San Antonio exit. I could not see if any of the stopped cars had collided with each other, but this certainly COULD have been fatal for a few humans as well as the unfortunate deer.

Could anyone show the LION how to get to City Hall. That is real budget cutting.

I am so bad. If you can remember back to the 2 firefighters who rescued the deer stuck in the mud.. up at SLAC.. It did not make it.
I was one, Got my deer out of the mud!
and you CHEIF Spineless, and the PAFD.... GRAND MA STILL there.. SHE STILL STUCK in the MUD.... How make public funding did you spend for how many years? TO BE USELESS????

YEA its the Coast Guard.... someone needed to bail you out of that one... the tax payers are only there to bailout the FAILED LEADERSHIP with $$$$$$... you know the BILLION DOLLAR bailout, nice.

Palo Alto is kind of ROMAN.... send in the LIONS.... LOOk at the city/citizens run.....

But you can only see the real show if you are a resident.. It is up at foothills park.. ROMAN?????? Kill the messenger? Roman.

Frances, I think no one wants to eliminate mountain lions or deers ... maybe flies ... but by pretending that we care about the environment by opining that these animals should have a right to share city space with people aren't we missing what this is all about?

Mountain lions showing up in city space is evidence that we are getting rid of them and pretending we still care about nature.

> Walter_E_Wallis said:
> I prefer to call myself an Intelligent Alec with the wry humor an intelligent
> needs to keep from crying.

I'm sure, however anyone that keeps up with what is going on in this world can barely keep from crying, but making up things about other people is not the appropriate response to that.

The way I always see it: the mountain lions are not in our backyards; we are in their living rooms. Well, may it find its way to a less hysterical neck of the woods.

Nora, I agree with you, but I do not want to run the risk of an encounter with a mountain lion and be the exception to the norm and end up mauled. In cities when they are scared and do not know how to escape they could be very dangerous. We are either going to kill all of these wonderful creatures or we are going to figure out that we have to back off on nature. I just think pretending to show concern about nature by making fun of people is misdirected energy - not that there is a constructive way to direct our energy, we seem to have already made our choice.