Mountain Lion Sightings Reported in Rochester
Residents of Rochester have been buzzing about a supposed mountain lion spotted in the area recently. Curtis Jones, a local, shared that he was ready with a baseball bat when he encountered the large cat lurking on his block last week.
“When I approached, I just instinctively went ‘Rawr!’ I saw it, and it looked directly at me,” he recounted. “I definitely felt the tension. My mind was racing, thinking, ‘No way, I gotta get out of here.’
Jones was among several people in the neighborhood who reported sightings last Wednesday, prompting local authorities to issue a shelter-in-place order as the search for the elusive animal commenced.
Ultimately, the order was lifted when officials couldn’t confirm the sightings, but witnesses like Jones are adamant about what they experienced and plan to stay alert. “They didn’t catch it last night. It’s probably still around, hiding somewhere,” he noted, gesturing toward some nearby bushes. “You know how they are—mountain lions are no joke. It’s serious business.”
Describing the sighting, Jones said, “It was just strolling by, moving smoothly. I don’t want to mess with this. I’m keeping this bat for safety.” However, he expressed hope that it won’t come to that.
He added, “I won’t mess with wild animals. Tigers, bears—no thanks. Not for me. I don’t even ride roller coasters; I’m good.”
Home security cameras caught what appears to be the big cat darting down a sidewalk in Rochester on the same night, leading law enforcement to deploy drones to assist in the search.
The Seneca Zoo confirmed that none of their animals had escaped, attempting to ease community concerns.
Interestingly, while mountain lion sightings haven’t been officially documented in New York since the 1800s, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) indicated the footage does resemble one. The last confirmed sighting in the state happened in 2011.
“The DEC is looking into these reports of large cats in Rochester to see if there’s substantial evidence to back up what’s been recorded,” they stated. “We’ll update the public as more information becomes available and remind everyone to be cautious around large, potentially dangerous wildlife.”
