A mountain lion was spotted in a residential neighborhood in Irvine recently. Danielle Deming and her family noticed the lion in the backyard of their home, and kept tabs on it until state wildlife officers could safely capture it.

Here’s a quick guide to tell you if there are mountain lion tracks in your neighborhood.

Mountain lion tracks compared to other animals:

Besides checking the tracks:

Mountain lion waste may have the presence of bones, teeth and animal hair. It is usually about an inch and a quarter in diameter. They have been known to leave waste in areas to mark their kills.

Close encounters

Hike in groups: If you’re in mountain lion country, travel with others whenever possible. Make noise (to avoid sneaking up on the cougars) and keep children close at all times.

Stay away: In the rare event that you see a cougar in the wild do not approach it, particularly if you see that it is eating or with cubs.

Stay calm and talk: In the even less likely event that a mountain lion approaches you, do not run away. Talk firmly to the animal, but give it a way to run off. Most mountain lions want to avoid confrontation with humans.

Other don’ts: Do not run. Do not turn your back.

Get big: Make yourself appear as big as possible; raise your arms. And pick up small children to prevent them from running. Throw rocks and sticks if necessary. Cougars have been driven away by prey that seems less easy to kill.

Cougar facts

Known as: mountain lion, puma, cougar

Eyes: Cougars have excellent night vision. Their peripheral vision is 287 degrees; a typical human’s peripheral vision is about 200 degrees.

Lifespan: A mountain lion typically lives about about 12 years in the wild, and they can live up to 25 years in captivity.

Status: Not threatened or endangered, but protected

Top speed: 40 mph

Leap (highest): 16 feet

Leap (longest): Cougars aren’t as fast as cheetahs or as strong as jaguar; they thrive because of their remarkable leaping ability. A cougar with a running start can fly 45 feet in a single leap.

Males vs. females: Males are about 35 percent bigger, measuring up to nine feet from tip to tail and weigh up to 150 pounds. Males almost always travel alone; females sometimes travel with cubs.

Hunting: They are most active at night, but sometimes will hunt or travel in daylight. Ranges vary from 10 to 370 square miles, depending on opportunity and population. Adult cougars need to eat a deer about every 16 days, though a mother with three cubs will need a deer every nine days.

Family life: Cougars can breed year round, but most births occur between December and July. Females can begin breeding at age 2, and typically give birth to no more than four kittens in a litter. A newborn typically is about a foot long and weighs a pound. Males don’t take part in child rearing.

Sharp parts: A cougar’s claws and its longest teeth are each about 2-inches.

Sources: Winston Vickers, UC Davis Wildlife Health Center; National Geographic, California Fish and Wildlife, Moutain Lion Foundation; The Nature Conservancy

Photos: Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority, Wikimedia Commons, file photos