Mountain lions sighted in Calif. town

HAYWARD, Calif., April 25 (UPI) -- Hayward, Calif., authorities said there have been two reported mountain lion sightings in the city since Sunday.

Police said the first sighting occurred Sunday evening in the backyard of a resident who videotaped the animal walking around his property, the Bay City News Service reported Friday.

California Department of Fish and Game officials said they reviewed the tape and confirmed the animal was a mountain lion.

The second sighting, which occurred Wednesday night, was reported by a resident who claimed to have seen a mountain lion kill a goat and drag away the carcass. Officials said the goat had been confirmed missing.

Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the state Fish and Game department, said the owner of the home where the goat was killed will likely receive a depredation permit that gives permission for the lion to be trapped or killed if it returns to the property within 10 days.

"Mountain lions have a large territory they can roam in, so there is always that chance the lion has taken off and won't come back,'' Martarano said.