Mountain lion sighting reported in Menlo Park

MENLO PARK, Calif. - Menlo Park police were investigating a reported mountain lion sighting on Monday. Detectives said they received a call around 7:30 a.m. 

The person who reported it said they saw the animal walking along a back fence at the Sharon Hill Golf and Country Club.

"Sent officers out to check the area. Officers were not able to see any mountain lion, or make any kind of with any kind that matched that description. And out of an abundance of caution, we made a message out to the community," said Chief Dave Norris of the Menlo Park Police Department. 

Officials with the Bay Area Puma Project said so far this year, there have been 89 mountain lion sightings in the Bay Area.

Sixty-six of those are in San Mateo County – its county with the most sightings.

Experts said a search for habitat and food is likely the driving force prompting the animals to move near populated areas.

"Mountain lion habitat is often splintered by urbanization. So it’s possible that this mountain lion’s habitat is just dissected by I-280. Or dissected by the golf course. So it’s possible that this mountain lion was just moving from one patch of suitable habitat to another suitable patch of habitat," said Ken Paglia, a spokesperson with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Police said the one call didn’t produce leads, and employees doing renovation work at the sprawling club said they never saw a mountain lion.

Officials said there’s no danger to people at a strip shopping mall 1.5 miles east of the country club, or in the Downtown Menlo Park area.

"Hopefully if we take appropriate precautions, the mountain lion will go back to its habitat, pass on through, and keep living a life in the wild," said Paglia. Added Norris, "People that do see that animal, stay away obviously. Don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation and just notify the police dept."

State officials said the public can report mountain lion sightings directly to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, through their Wildlife Incident Reporting System.

That website can be found, here.