Mountain lion strolls up driveway, through backyard in Burbank

Nov. 9, 2011 9:21 AM PT

Animal control officers were called to a Burbank house Tuesday after a resident said a mountain lion walked up the front driveway, around the corner, and into the backyard.

Burbank police said the resident in the 1200 block of Verdugo Spring Lane, near the border with Glendale in the hillsides, took photographs, which animal control officials used to confirm the identity of the big cat.

The mountain lion apparently walked up a hillside slope and disappeared after strolling through the yard at 2:50 p.m., according to notice issued today by Burbank police.

It is the latest reported sighting of a mountain lion in broad daylight in Burbank.

In August, when several sightings were reported in the hillsides, Burbank police officers observed a mountain lion walking between parked cars near Kenneth Road and Brown Drive. The cat jumped an 8-foot high fence on Woodstock Lane before moving into the brush and out of sight.

While officials said mountain lions are typically skittish and avoid human contact, they repeated warnings to keep pet food indoors and to avoid hiking or jogging alone, especially at dawn or dusk.

The following are recommendations from the California Department of Fish and Game:

Do not feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, and at night.
Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.
Do not leave small children or pets outside unattended.
Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
Do not hike, bike, or jog alone.
Avoid hiking or jogging when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, and at night.
Do not approach a mountain lion.
If you encounter a mountain lion, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to look bigger by waving your arms; throw rocks or other objects. Pick up small children.
If attacked, fight back.
If a mountain lion attacks a person, immediately call 911.

Mountain lion spotted walking among parked cars in Burbank

-- Jason Wells, Times Community News

Twitter: @JasonBretWells

Photo: The was photo of a mountain lion was taken by remote camera in the Santa Monica Mountains by National Park Service scientists. Credit: National Park Service