A school bus full of excited kids apparently scared a mountain lion enough to send it climbing up a 10-metre power pole to safety in Southern California. Seeing a cougar perched at the top of the pole came as a surprise to residents, and left some locals concerned about recent mountain lion sightings.
The big cat was spotted in Lucerne Valley, a community east of Los Angeles, on Tuesday, according to the Victorville Daily Press.
A neighbour told the Daily Press that the big cat had been scared by kids heading home in a school bus and yelling with excitement, leading it to run up the pole.
During its time on the perch, the cougar caught the attention of many passersby, but they were urged on by officers of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The big cat came down later that night.
In addition to two sightings, there is also an unconfirmed report, and locals have been cautioned by animal control officials not to leave food or small animals outside, reports the Daily Press.
While one mountain lion was certainly spooked by the noise of children, families are still encouraged to keep small pets and kids supervised in areas where there have been sightings.