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.<\/p>\n
Multiple animals have been killed in the Monterey County hamlet of Corral de Tierra, about 12 miles east of Monterey, officials said.<\/p>\n
Residents have said that family dogs, a miniature horse and goats have been killed over the last few weeks, local television station KSBW<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n \u201cI could hear rustling on our porch,\u201d Corral de Tierra resident Michael Antle told the television station. \u201cOur 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\u2019t eat either animal, so I think it\u2019s out to kill.\u201d<\/p>\n Antle said the first attack happened Dec. 21, around 12:30 a.m.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> Southern California mountain lions recommended for threatened status<\/a><\/p>\n Other residents have said they saw a creature lurking around.<\/p>\n Personnel from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed Wednesday afternoon that there had been \u201cmountain lion conflicts\u201d in and around Corral de Tierra.<\/p>\n Krysten Kellum, a department spokesperson, said the number of attacks in the area was unknown \u2014 as was the number of mountain lions involved.<\/p>\n She did say, however, that the attacks happened during evening and early-morning hours, when the predators are active.<\/p>\n She also said the animals that were killed were not secured for the night.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s all we are asking people to do: Bring your dogs in at night, night pen livestock,\u201d she said, referring to corralling the animals into a securely fenced area.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> Mountain lion sightings close Orange County park. Expert calls cat behavior ‘super’ unusual<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is important that people report these incidents,\u201d Kellum said.<\/p>\n The department also advises deer-proofing property<\/a> to avoid attracting a mountain lion\u2019s main food source, removing dense vegetation to reduce hiding spaces, installing outdoor lighting and securing animal enclosures.<\/p>\n If those steps don\u2019t work, Kellum said other options might include trapping and potentially using nonlethal projectiles, such as paint balls, to chase away, haze and deter them.<\/p>\n She said, however, the situation in Corral de Tierra hasn’t reached that level of severity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just want residents to go through these processes and not focus on potential worst-case scenarios,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n