Mountain lion sighting in Zephyr Cove
Mountain lions eating deer — that’s how the food chain works. It’s something that goes on every day in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Because a mountain lion killed a mule deer close to the stables of Zephyr Cove’s stables this week, the Nevada Department of Wildlife set a trap. But nothing was caught.
“It has been taken away,” Chris Healy with the Nevada Department of Wildlife told Lake Tahoe News. “Since it was a mountain lion doing what it’s supposed to do we probably won’t set another trap.”
It was such a non-event for the resort that the spokesman didn’t even know about it until Lake Tahoe News called Friday.
Bobcats also prowl the basin and have been increasing in numbers as the rabbit population grows, according to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
I heard from several people of a mountain lion eating a coyote in the meadow by the end of Jicarilla and Minniconjou several weeks ago. Supposedly there were 3 known cougars in the area, between Echo Summit and Kingsbury Grade, but none in these locations. I wonder if these are newcomers.
No wonder there was a deer running in my neighborhood of Al Tahoe on Friday! First deer I’ve ever seen in Lake Tahoe.
Many years ago a woman was killed in Placerville by a mountain lion while jogging. Bears I love because they are fabulous creatures and humans are not on their menu. Mountain lions may be different. Should they be trapped and relocated for our safety as well as theirs?
Headroom- We should just relocate any animal that is a danger to us? Seriously, you live in the mountains and should educate yourself to keep safe. The idea of trapping and relocating these animals that are in their natural environment is obsurd.
We need to trap and relocate the gang members that are here now instead of the animals that have always called this place home.
Headroom. While it is tries there was a jogger killed in Placerville, fatality due to mountain lions is so rare, that it is nearly non-existent. I believe that the last one was in 2004. While cats that show aggressive behavior towards humans should be dealt with, for whatever lucky reason, they don’t see us as food.
snoheather……..Someone got feed the pesky hightypepeople(out there baby) ,beach,boating,clubbing,Big—loud shows,PILING THE CARS INTO THE RESIDENTS PARKING..NOTHING IS SET IN STONE EXCEPT THE MOUNTAIN.
These ARE THE THINGS THEY CAN’T SELL THAT DO MORE FOR LESS $ IN PUTTING YOU WHERE YOU THINK IT’S AT…..WHATEVER ROCKS YOUR BOAT.
BRING ON LATE FALL,THE FISH DON’T HIDE SO MUCH FROM THE NOISE!
SUMMER, YOU JUST HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THE MADNESS,$$$$$$$$$$$$…….BOTTOM LINE, NO ONE ASKE WHERE YOU GOT THE CASH AND IT’S NOT REFUSED REGARLESS IF THEY KNOW EITHER..
PEACE
I’ve had two run ins with mountain lions, both times at Indian Creek reservoir, but that was a long time ago.
In the last four weeks I’ve scared off six bears from the neighbors garbage. Man the bears can make a mess!
Now I’ve got cotton tails in my vegetable garden…can the bobcats be far behind?
Take Care, Old Long Skiis, who loves ALL wildlife
Old Long Skiis, what’s with your neighbors trash? Don’t they have bear proof cans? Sounds like they should be cited and forced to install a bear box. People not securing their trash teach bears trash is food and will get the bears killed. Take action Old Long Skiis.
Steven,
I’ve got a couple of problems with bears in the trash on this street. One is that half the places are vacation homes. They put out their trash when they leave on sunday and our pick up day isn’t till wednsday. I’ve talked with our temporary visitors and one bought a bear proof can and I gave another one to another out of towner.
I’ve talked with my other neighbors, the full timers, about not putting their trash out untill collection day, with some sucsess.But still the bears come.
Awhile back we went to a concert over at Crystal Bay and just about everybody on the hiway fronting homes had a bear box. Now bear boxes are not perfect but they are a deterent. The door can freeze shut during winter, if not properly latched the door will blow open and come off its hinges and the box will retain the odor from your trash even when it’s empty.
I usually clean up the bear strewn trash on my street and then talk with the homeowner about what they can do for preventitive measures. Ya see, I was a garbage man for a looong time and know a thing or two about bears and trash.
Take Care, Old Long Skiis
Old long skiis, your efforts are admirable but not working. If you live in the county, bear boxes are required if the house is a vacation rental. The city I’m not sure. In either area, you can call clean tahoe, some of your taxes pay for Clean Tahoe, and they will clean up the mess and deal with the owners to get some kind of bear proof trash containers. As long as the bears are getting into the trash they will keep coming back and also go to other places looking for trash. These learned habits get them killed. Bears are also very smart and learn very fast that quality bear boxes can’t be broken into, and so they just ignore them. As I said before, take some serious action and save the bears for all of us.
Call the county at this number and report vacation rental without bear boxes
530-573-7955 ex 5815, her name is Janet.
Clean Tahoe 530-544-4210
And in the city I would call code enforcement.
Old Long Skiis, also the law states trash may be put out only 24 hours before pick-up. Once again call code enforcement, the sheriff or STR and complain. Get tough with your neighbors, a lot of times you have to hit people over the head with a 2×4 to get their attention. The other way to get their attention is to cost them money. There are trash ordinances that cover the entire Tahoe basin. Use them, complain to the authorities and let them deal with the problem.
Save our Bears!