A homeowner captured startling footage of a mountain lion near their home, prompting concerns about the large cat's presence in a residential neighborhood.

What's happening?

A mountain lion was spotted on security cameras at a home in the upper Crystal Falls area near Phoenix Lake in Tuolumne County, California, per reporting from MyMotherlode.com. The footage was captured in the early morning hours, showing the animal walking across their driveway and back into the nearby woods.

The homeowners wanted to alert their fellow residents, asking Central Sierra Broadcasting to "please advise folks that a large mountain lion is active in the Upper Crystal Falls area."

Prior to this sighting, another mountain lion was spotted in a nearby neighborhood, walking through a backyard. It is uncertain if it is the same cat being filmed twice or two separate individuals in the same area. Either way, residents were warned to be on high alert, especially when it comes to children and pets. 

Why is a mountain lion sighting important?

Mountain lions naturally tend to avoid humans and heavily populated areas, but with the humans continuing to encroach on their habitats and resources becoming scarcer, they're forced to move closer and closer to humans to try to survive. 

Another factor driving mountain lions closer to residential areas is the ever-changing climate, with increased droughts and wildfires threatening their populations and habitats, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation.

The closer mountain lions and humans get to interacting, the greater the risk of dangerous encounters. A mountain lion in Colorado recently attacked someone's small dog, and there have been a total of 27 mountain lion attacks confirmed in California over the past 40 years, with six being fatal for the person involved. 

These encounters, fatal and non-fatal, can also pose additional risk to the mountain lions if authorities opt to euthanize them to prevent further issues.

What's being done about the mountain lions?

The best policy when it comes to mountain lions is to avoid them and report any sightings to local wildlife authorities. If you encounter one while out and about, while hiking, or in other activities, make yourself appear larger and more aggressive. Don't run past them or bend or crouch down, which can trigger predatory instincts. 

At home, supervise pets and children outdoors in general, but especially between dusk and dawn when mountain lions are most active. 

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