Mountain lion seen at Windsor area park

Windsor police urged visitors to be vigilant after a mountain lion was spotted Sunday at Foothill Regional Park.

Several people saw what’s believed to be the same animal on at least two occasions just south of the lower pond on Three Lakes Trail, located in the south-central area of the 211-acre wilderness park, authorities said. The area is just behind homes on Cayetano and Buena Tierra courts, they said.

Sightings of large, wild animals are not uncommon in Sonoma County, particularly at the edge of wilderness areas, though they’ve been spotted at times in residential neighborhoods.

A mountain lion was spotted June 29 in the backyard of a Sebastopol home, while bear sightings were reported in west Santa Rosa and Sebastopol days earlier.

Police in Windsor said they wanted people merely to be aware, given the park’s popularity.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.