Not just one, but three mountain lions were spotted in one Peninsula community. Someone reporting seeing the big cats last night along Westridge Drive and Cervantes Road in Portola Valley. People who live in the neighborhood said they are a bit rattled. NBC Bay Area’s Derek Shore reports from Portola Valley.
Three mountain lions were spotted in Portola Valley late Thursday night near Westridge Drive and Cervantes Road, according to an alert from San Mateo County.
The mountain lions were seen around 11:30 p.m. and reported to the sheriff's office at 9 a.m. Friday, according to the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services.
A researcher who spoke with NBC Bay Area on Friday said three mountain lions together is not common, but could be a mother and her two older-looking cubs.
Still, neighbors are on alert.
"It's just part of our community, and people here just learned how to live with it,” Portola Valley resident Leslie Doyle said. “But when you see – or hear – reported three walking down the street, it’s a little disconcerting."
Residents are advised not to approach mountain lions, especially if they are eating or with their cubs. Most mountain lions will try to avoid confrontation, according to San Mateo County officials. To avoid mountain lions, residents should avoid hiking or jogging at dawn, dusk and at night, when the mountain lions are most active, and keep a watch on small children, officials said.
If you encounter a mountain lion, you should stay still, pick up any small children who may be with you, face the animal, and try to appear big by waving your arms and throwing rocks or other objects, according to officials.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
