A Los Altos Hills family is spreading the word about mountain lion activity in the area after the death of their pet goat, which they believe a puma killed last week.
The Meyerotts of Elena Road discovered the remains of Pippin, a 4-year-old Nigerian goat, Thursday (April 16) morning, said Robert Meyerott. They noted the body was eviscerated, a common characteristic of a mountain lion attack, but California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) officials could not confirm the species of animal responsible because Pippin had been buried for days by the time they learned of the kill.
“Unfortunately, with it already buried, it makes our job incredibly difficult if not impossible,” said Patrol Lt. Jeff Heitzenrater of DFW.
The Meyerotts have resolved to start confining their bovid fellowship inside at night; surviving goat Merry now has a new buddy named Mikey. Heitzenrater recommended a similar approach for other residents of the area.
“Dogs, cats, goats, sheep – even chickens: If you live in a semi-rural or rural area, if you have the opportunity to bring them into a covered pen at night, that’s the best way to keep them from potentially being eaten or attacked by mountain lions or coyotes,” Heitzenrater said.
He noted that pumas are naturally suspicious animals and that sometimes motion-activated lights and sprinklers and/or a radio might help scare them away.
Horned pets run in Meyerott’s family. His father, the late Roland Meyerott, a Lockheed physicist and researcher, grew up with 50 goats as a child in Nebraska during the Great Depression. Meyerott’s mother, the late Rosemary Meyerott, was well known as Los Altos Hills’ town historian.
