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After two attacks, Alpine County urges caution and invites state wildlife officials
Summary
An urgency briefing on mountain lion encounters prompted the board to invite the agricultural commissioner and California Department of Fish and Wildlife to the May 19 meeting; sheriff said trackers are working, two depredation tags issued and DNA results are pending.
The Alpine County Board of Supervisors added an urgency item May 5 to address recent mountain lion encounters in the countys eastern communities and heard updates from the sheriffs office, county staff and residents.
Sam Booth (Speaker 13) summarized social-media concern and initial outreach to the county agricultural commissioner and asked whether Fish and Wildlife could be invited to the May 19 meeting to give an informational presentation. "She said she'd be happy to come give a presentation," Booth said, and staff agreed to invite the commissioner and a California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) representative.
Sheriff Tom Ender (Speaker 16) said a local tracker has been working to locate the animal, noted tracking has been slowed by wet conditions, and confirmed two depredation permits/tags have been issued for the two incidents. "We don't know yet" whether the incidents involve the same cat, he said, and the sheriff said the county is awaiting DNA test results from Fish and Wildlife. He urged residents to avoid walking alone, to keep dogs leashed and to report sightings.
A parent and youth coach, Alex Malgar (Speaker 12), said the community is anxious and asked how residents can be better informed about sightings and hot spots. Malgar said some neighbors saw a sighting posted on social media a few days before a later attack and asked for clearer, timely communications from official sources.
County CEO Sam Booth (Speaker 13) and county staff agreed to invite the agricultural commissioner and CDFW to the next meeting, to provide factual context and advice on response options and residents rights under Fish and Game code. In the meeting staff cited Fish and Game code language saying property owners may take a mountain lion that is "pursuing, inflicting injury, or killing livestock or domestic animal" and must report it within 72 hours when that action is taken; staff characterized that code as permitting depredation responses following an incident.
The board took no enforcement action at the May 5 meeting; supervisors asked staff to pursue a fuller briefing from the county agricultural commissioner and CDFW at the May 19 meeting to help the county and its residents make informed decisions about safety and depredation options.
What happens next: The county will invite the agricultural commissioner and a Fish and Wildlife representative to the May 19 meeting and continue to coordinate tracker efforts and patrols. DNA and other investigative results remain pending.
