Mountain lion spotted near North Natomas schools for the second time in two weeks

A mountain lion was spotted near a high school in North Natomas shortly before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the second such sighting in as many weeks, according to the Natomas Unified School District and the Sacramento Police Department.

In a message sent to parents, the school district said the mountain lion was seen near the park and ponds across from Inderkum High School. The school sits across the street from the North Natomas Regional Park. The police department said the lion has not been located.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have informed all school sites in the area — Inderkum, Heron, H. Allen Hight, Natomas Middle School, and Westlake Charter — to have students remain behind the gates of the school while on campus,” said the message, shared with The Sacramento Bee via email. “Meanwhile, our School Resource Officers and animal control are continuing to monitor the area.”

The message also asked parents to instruct students to take safety precautions, including never approaching a mountain lion. If students are in the vicinity of a mountain lion, they should stay calm, back away slowly and avoid running, crouching or bending over, according to the message.

Anyone with information about the mountain lion sightings should contact the Sacramento Police Department, according to the message.

This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 1:57 PM.