Map: Mountain Lion Sightings in San Mateo County

From the Merc yesterday...

The town of Los Altos Hills activated its emergency alert system this weekend, phoning residents that a mountain lion was seen in Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve.

At one point I was trying to keep track of all the mountain lion sightings mentioned mong the pile of news stories I scan every day, but I lost count because there were just too many of them.

Here's a map of 2011 mountain lion sightings in San Mateo County...

Near the end of 2010, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department reported sightings had more than doubled over 2009, from 14 to 35. Looks like we're on pace this year to surpass that number.

On the other hand, from Bay City News last year:

"A lot of alleged sightings turn out not to be mountain lions at all," state Department of Fish and Game spokeswoman Dana Michaels said. "We've had bobcats, dogs, even domestic housecats be mistaken for mountain lions."

Housecats? Someone needs to cut down on the Fancy Feast...