Video shows mountain lion lurking on front steps of Pacifica home

PACIFICA, Calif. (KGO) -- A mountain lion was spotted on the front steps of a home in the Fairmont neighborhood in Pacifica this weekend.

Mike Watkins, 59, said he woke up to an alert on his phone just before 3 a.m. Saturday morning. He thought it was his son leaving for work.

Later in the day, he scrolled through the footage, and noticed a long tail, then realized it was a cougar.

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"At first glance, scrolling, I saw an animal. Possibly a cat or raccoon. Then checked again, and saw this long tail," he told ABC7 News. "I noticed it was a lot bigger."

So he posted the video on the Nextdoor app to alert his neighbors.

Watkins has lived in the home for half his life, and has never seen or heard of a mountain lion in the area.

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"I have seen deer, raccoons, skunks, coyote, and others," he said. He speculates the wildfires, construction, and less traffic due to COVID-19 are pushing and allowing these animals out of their natural habitat looking for food and adventure.

Watkins said he and his wife just installed the camera a week ago, and has notified police and animal control.