Santa Monica got an unexpected wildlife wake-up call Friday morning when police shut down streets and urged neighbors to hunker indoors after a mountain lion was reported near 14th Street and Montana Avenue. Officers and wildlife crews quickly moved into the area to check out the report, and authorities said there were no injuries. The brief search slowed traffic and kept shoppers and workers on Montana inside while crews swept the neighborhood.
Police, wildlife crews respond
As reported by NBC Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Police Department said on X that "out of an abundance of caution, officers are in the area assessing the report and working with appropriate wildlife resources" and urged residents to stay indoors and keep pets inside. Nearby streets were temporarily closed while officers and animal-control personnel searched the area.
CDFW safety guidance
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that mountain lion attacks on people are extremely rare, even though the agency fields hundreds of sighting reports each year. CDFW advises people not to run if they encounter a mountain lion, to try to look and sound as large as possible, to pick up small children, and, if attacked, to fight back. The agency also asks residents to report unusual mountain lion behavior to local CDFW offices.
Why mountain lions end up near homes
Wildlife experts point to habitat fragmentation, busy freeways and other human pressures that push cougars to the urban edge. The Los Angeles Times recently covered the state's move to list several Southern California puma populations as threatened, along with efforts to build wildlife crossings and other connectivity projects. Statewide estimates vary, but groups such as the Mountain Lion Foundation say California is home to only a few thousand mountain lions, and that local populations, including those in the Santa Monica Mountains, are especially vulnerable.
What residents should do now
Police asked anyone who spots the animal to call 911 right away and to keep pets indoors until the area is officially cleared, according to NBC Los Angeles. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife also recommends avoiding solo runs at dawn or dusk, securing yards and pet doors, and cutting down on attractants such as deer and unsecured food.
Santa Monica police and wildlife officials are continuing to monitor the situation, and residents in the Montana Avenue area should be prepared for short street closures while crews finish their checks. We will update this story as officials release new information.
