Mountain lion spotted, dead deer later found on property

HILLSBOROUGH, Calif. (KGO) -- Residents in a Hillsborough neighborhood heard something going on outside their home early Friday morning and when they went outside they found a dead deer, apparently killed by the big cat.

The incident happened on the 500 block of El Cerrito Avenue. Heather Tappan and her husband Bob Dahl were sleeping. Their bedroom window faces the yard.

"We heard a large thumping on our roof, never dreaming it could be anything like a mountain lion," Tappan said.

"All of a sudden we heard this loud, screechy, high-pitched scream," Dahl said. "It was very loud."

"There was a mauling of sorts and we could hear something in peril, " Tappan said said.

"And I just screamed back because I knew it was some type of wild animal," Dahl added.

It was a mountain lion in the front yard with its dinner, the carcass of a doe.

"It had been attacked and was presented with injuries consistent with a predator attack," Hillsborough Police Chief Mark O'Connor said.

There have been other sightings in urban parts of the Bay Area. A mountain lion was trapped under a car in Mountain View.

Tappan and Dahl's backyard faces the San Mateo River and the thick foliage near the river that is attractive to deer.

Neighbors were on edge, especially ones with children.

"We'll definitely be careful," George Brush said. "We're not going to let them outside unless one of us out there,"

County animal control and state Fish and Wildlife officials were also notified of the case.

Mountain lions target deer as prey and authorities encourage residents to "deer-proof" their properties by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. Residents can also trim brush on their properties and install motion-sensitive lights to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.

More information on mountain lions and tips to stay safe in their habitat is available online at www.keepmewild.org.