One California couple is in shock and awe after they encountered a massive mountain lion in their yard. Joe Luchok and his wife witnessed the encounter early Wednesday morning, June 30, 2021, at their home in Petaluma, California.
“Yeah, it was amazing,” Luchok told KPIX News. “My wife saw it initially, out in the street, from the window, and thought it was a giant dog. Called 911 instantly.”
These stealthy cats range throughout the U.S. and are extremely territorial. Males can weigh anywhere between 115 and 220 pounds and females weigh between 64 and 141 pounds.
Seeing the cat in the street prompted Luchock to check his home security camera. He was shocked to find that the massive predator strolled right through his backyard.
“It looked like he was going to go out the gate, but the gate was shut,” Luchok continued. “So he came walking this way down the side of the house and climbed over the fence.”
“It’s both beautiful and scary, right,” Ken Paglia of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife explained to KPIX News. “They are amazing creatures, they are beautiful. At the same time, we know innately that a mountain lion is a dangerous creature.”
Check out the incredible video below.