Mountain lion on loose in Hesperia; 'please avoid the park,' city asks

Charlie McGee, Victorville Daily Press
·1 min read
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This isn't the mountain lion that popped up in Hesperia on Thursday, but the felines aren't new to appearing in civilized High Desert grounds ranging from backyards to trees.
This isn't the mountain lion that popped up in Hesperia on Thursday, but the felines aren't new to appearing in civilized High Desert grounds ranging from backyards to trees.

A mountain lion roaming Hesperia Lake Park prompted a warning by the city Thursday morning against messing around with the wild feline.

The City of Hesperia posted a “Wildlife Advisory” on Facebook shortly after 10 a.m. stating: “There is a mountain lion at Hesperia Lake Park. Authorities are monitoring the animal. For the safety of the animal and visitors, please avoid the park if possible. Residents are reminded never to approach wildlife for any reason.”

The Hesperia Recreation and Park District reiterated a plea to “use caution while visiting Hesperia Lake Park today” in its own Facebook post at noon. The city hadn’t posted an update or responded to a request for comment as of thirty minutes, suggesting the lion hadn’t left the recreational area after a few hours.

Random appearances of mountain lions aren’t new to civilized grounds ranging from backyards to trees in Hesperia and the broader High Desert.

Some social-media users prospected that Thursday’s appearance may stem from the lion reaping a recent stock-up of trout in Hesperia Lake. Some prospected on a gloomier cause of commercial development driving the mountain cat from its natural habitat. Others leaned into a pet-friendly explanation. “I wanna die happy petting a big cat,” one Facebook user commented on the City of Hesperia’s post soon after a separate comment: “It needs cuddles!!”

It's unclear if any photos had been taken documenting the mountain lion during its Hesperia venture as of midday Thursday.

Charlie McGee covers California’s High Desert for the Daily Press, focusing on the city of Barstow and its surrounding communities. He is also a Report for America corps member with The GroundTruth Project, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists in the U.S. and worldwide. McGee may be reached at 760-955-5341 or cmcgee@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @bycharliemcgee.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Mountain lion roams Hesperia; 'avoid the park,' city asks