Santa Barbara police are urging residents to remain vigilant after multiple mountain lion sightings were reported over the weekend in neighborhoods near Oak Park and Mission Creek — including one caught on a home security camera in the Samarkand area in broad daylight.
According to a media release issued Monday, Santa Barbara Animal Control was notified on February 2 of “multiple sightings over the weekend of a mountain lion in the Oak Park and Mission Creek areas.” The sightings occurred during both daytime and nighttime hours. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been notified and is coordinating with local wildlife resources.
One of the sightings was captured early Friday morning on Romaine Drive by Darren Moody, a longtime Santa Barbara resident who lives in the Samarkand neighborhood.