'The best part of my job is telling stories that yearn to be told.'
OCEANSIDE, Calif. - A surveillance camera captured an extremely rare sight early Wednesday morning in an Oceanside senior community: two mountain lion s visiting a front porch, with wildlife experts believing the pair may have been mating.
The unexpected visitors appeared just before 3 a.m. on Salem Court, in a community that borders Camp Pendleton. The family inside slept through the encounter but discovered the footage when they checked their camera alerts in the morning.'Shock, total shock,' said Kylie Richards, whose grandmother and mother live in the home where the mountain lions were recorded.The surveillance video shows a mountain lion, possibly a female, entering from the side of the house and lying down on the porch. Less than 20 seconds later, a larger mountain lion appears, approaches and sniffs the first cougar. The smaller mountain lion then makes growling noises that continue for nearly 30 seconds before both animals wander away in the direction they came from.'It was a ‘Holy Cow’ moment. How lucky are we to see this happening right outside the front door,' Richards said. “There is one mountain lion, and suddenly, there's another. Wow, we've never seen an animal that big on our property.'Richards said her family is accustomed to seeing wildlife near the home, including birds, bobcats and coyotes, but never mountain lions.Robin Parks, a longtime volunteer with the Mountain Lion Foundation, reviewed the footage and believes the sounds the smaller cougar was making were likely mating calls. According to Parks, capturing a mating pair on camera, especially on a front doorstep, is extremely rare.However, Parks noted that mountain lion sightings aren't unusual in the Camp Pendleton area, which typically serves as home to one or two cougars at a time.In 2024, a mountain lion was spotted multiple times in Oceanside, including at City Hall and a theater, before a cougar believed to be the same animal was killed by a car. Now, a year and a half later, residents have documented a pair of the elusive cats.'Cool to see them up close, but it brings more awareness,' Richards said. 'Mom said that she's not going to take the trash out at night. If you have pets, keep them inside. But at the end of the day, we're in their neighborhood as much as they are in ours.'Parks explained that while it's possible the pair were foraging for food, mating pairs typically don't hunt together.Richards has filed a report about the sighting with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Two superstar Buckeyes win weekly Big Ten honors after win over Nittany LionsTop-ranked Ohio State took home an easy win over Penn State to remain undefeated in conference play.
Read more »
Little Fawn Kitchen + Bar launches at Oceanside’s Fin HotelThe former owner of Échale in Encinitas has opened a rustic, Mediterranean-style spot for dinner, brunch and cocktails
Read more »
Kendall Jenner's Oceanside Birthday Celebration: Fashion HighlightsKendall Jenner celebrated her birthday with an oceanside bash, showcasing a Dries Van Noten ensemble styled by Dani Michelle. The celebration was filled with stylish outfits from various attendees, including Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, and Kris Jenner, each with their unique fashion choices. Highlights include Kendall's bralette top and skirt set, Kylie's little black dress, Khloe's bubblegum pink dress, and Kris's groovy maxi dress.
Read more »
New Fossil Discovery Might Prove That Two Different Extinct Human Species CoexistedMichael Bizzaco is a seasoned consumer tech writer with over five years of experience contributing to major publications like Digital Trends, How-To Geek, Android Police, and SPY. Specializing in product reviews, buying guides, and streaming device breakdowns, he's built a career simplifying complex specs and demystifying pesky acronyms.
Read more »
Penn State-Indiana X factors: PSU’s ‘D’ prepares for a familiar face, LBs to watch, moreThe Nittany Lions, losers of five consecutive games, are two-touchdown underdogs at home on Saturday.
Read more »
Waterfront Rescue Mission celebrates two new transition homes for men in recoveryThis was all made possible thanks to a $338,000 award from the Escambia County Opioid Abatement Board.
Read more »