AUBURN, Calif. — An Auburn father of three says he's had his fair share of bear and fox sightings, but early Thursday morning, he came face-to-face with something far rarer in his own backyard.
Brent Estes says he saw a mountain lion after hearing noises coming from outside his home along Eagles Nest Road.
"I just went out to go check the situation and I walked out my door and pretty much came face-to-face with a mountain lion in the backyard. So yeah, it was a little startling at first," Estes said.
It stayed there for about 30 to 40 minutes. He says the lion came up the driveway and into the backyard after their gate was blown open.
He and his family called Auburn Police Department, who then notified the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"Nothing really unusual about that happening. That is prime habitat for mountain lions, kind of a mountainous area. It connects to a big large mountain range," said Steve Gonzalez, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Gonzalez says they often see people feeding wildlife, which could attract a mountain lion.
"A lot of times, well-meaning people do feed deer. They may feed raccoons or other animals that are wildlife, and that's just not a good idea. We all always tell people, first it's against the law and they can be cited, but two, it's just not smart because these are animals that mountain lions do feed on," Gonzalez said.
Estes was not feeding wildlife and his backyard is gated, so he was surprised to see a lion so close to his back door.
"We have pest control, we hide our trash, we have pretty secure fencing, but I guess if they want to get in, they're able to get in. And that's part of the risk of living on the canyon," Estes said.
The California Department of Wildlife says people can protect themselves by having sensor lights around their home which scare mountain lions.
They recommend bringing in your pets at night and walking in groups if you're planning to go out at dusk or dawn when they are most active.
