Mountain lion attacks on pets and cattle rattle a small Central California town

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

California wildlife authorities are urging residents of a small Central California town to lock up their pets and secure livestock after a series of mountain lion attacks.Multiple animals have been killed in the Monterey County hamlet of Corral de Tierra, about 12 miles east of Monterey, officials said.Residents have said that family dogs, a miniature horse and goats have been killed over the last few weeks, local television station KSBW reported.“I could hear rustling on our porch,” Corral de Tierra resident Michael Antle told the television station.“Our family dog was taken off of our porch.

The following night, the lion came for our goat and actually took the goat to the same spot.Didn’t eat either animal, so I think it’s out to kill.”Antle said the first attack happened Dec.

21, around 12:30 a.m.Climate & Environment The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is recommending listing mountain lions in Southern California and the Central Coast as threatened.Other residents have said they saw a creature lurking around.Personnel from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed Wednesday afternoon that there had been “mountain lion conflicts” in and around Corral de Tierra.Krysten Kellum, a department spokesperson, said the number of attacks in the area was unknown — as was the number of mountain lions involved.She did say, however, that the attacks happened during evening and early-morning hours, when the predators are active.She also said the animals that were killed were not secured for the night.“That’s all we are asking people to do: Bring your dogs in at night, night pen livestock,” she said, referring to corralling the animals into a securely fenced area.

In response to the attacks, the agency is calling on residents to document all encounters with mountain lions on the Department of Fish and Wildlife site.California Whitin...