MARTINEZ, Calif. (KRON) – A Martinez homeowner was shocked to discover a mountain lion strolling through his property and the big cat was captured on surveillance video.
“I was extremely surprised to see a big cat on the property,” Ryan Mooney said.
Skunks, raccoons, even coyotes – When Ryan Mooney and his wife decided to build a home in Martinez’s Alhambra Valley. They knew they would be sharing the land with wildlife but were blindsided by the sight of a mountain lion.
“I wake up and kind of always look through the videos. See what kind of nature caught on it in the middle of the night, you know. I had to take a second look at this one to see it, and it was like whoa, that’s a mountain lion,” Mooney said.
The Mooney’s are still about six weeks away from moving onto the property but the surveillance cameras have been operational through construction.
The mountain lion was spotted on camera at around 4 a.m. Sunday morning. The next day Mooney discovered paw prints as well.
He says it was most likely headed to Briones Regional Park nearby. There is also a creek along the property.
He believes the drought conditions are leading wildlife to venture onto private property for food and water.
“All the neighbors say they haven’t seen one around here for probably five years, plus,” Mooney said.
KRON4 shared a video of the cougar with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. A biologist says it looks like an adult male and that considering the mountainous location, it should come as no surprise to learn big cats are in the area, adding that half of the state is considered mountain lion territory.