Mountain Lion On Loose After Fatal Attack

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[SoCal Pubbie]

LOS ANGELES -- A mountain lion is reportedly on the loose after attacking and killing a biker in a popular hiking and camping area in South Orange County. Two other bikers were also injured by the "aggressive animal."

The attack took place in the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in the Cleveland National Forest which is located near Lake Forest, Calif.

A male mountain biker between 20 to 30 years of age was attacked and killed by the mountain lion. When two female bikers came across the man they stopped to try and help him. At that point, the mountain lion, apparently trying to defend it's kill, pounced on one of the women.

The other woman reportedly saved her friend by throwing rocks at the mountain lion and scaring it away. As paramedics tried to help the victims, the animal continued trying to attack. Because paramedics are not armed, Orange County officials sent in an observer to help protect the group. The most seriously injured in the attack was airlifted to a local hospital.

Officials were initially trying to capture the animal, but because it keeps coming back and is described as "very, very aggressive," they are now considering it for termination. The animal is believed to weigh about 150-pounds. Officials had to use their helicopter unit to help chase the animal off. The area is being treated as a crime scene.

Copyright 2004 by NBC4.tv. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Several mountain bikers attacked, one dead, one in hospital. About four miles from my house. This is an ongoing problem in South Orange County.

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[billorites]

the "aggressive animal."

"Misunderstood," is probably more accurate.

[Hardastarboard]

I'm hearing that there are mountain lions in the southern part of Illinois, from guys who hunt there all the time. It's a little scary, since there never used to be ANY wildlife there to speak of at all.

[Guillermo]

Seems like it's time to start carrying a gun on their bike rides...

[billorites]

"I'm hearing that there are mountain lions in the southern part of Illinois"

Yes, and they've mentioned you by name.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Cougar attacks come and go here. Two decades ago this was all farmland or wilderness area, and with development they left a lot of green belts. Always have to be on the lookout for mountain lions and coyotes.

[jwalburg]

The area is being treated as a crime scene.

Hope they don't forget to read the lion its Miranda rights.

[SoCal Pubbie]

In all honesty, I'm not sure a gun would have helped that much. The lion leaped on a woman's back, then got a hold of her face. Yes, shooting the beast may prevent it from killing others, but they're so stealthy I doubt a victim would have much time to react.

[Bedford Forrest]

"The area is being treated as a crime scene."

What the f@#k, over? After they rename this mountain lion an "upland fur person", presumably so they can arraign him, what are they going to charge him with - cannibalism? Or was it Bigfoot that did the deed. Things are very strange in Kali, no doubt about it.

[DeSoto]

I know that having this incident within 4 miles of your house is a bit scary, but given that, I am glad that this happened near LA.

If this happened in the dingweeds of Montana, Idaho, Oregon or wherever, the fruits and nuts of LA that fuel the environmental extremism wouldn't get the message. If the LA extremists become afraid to walk outside, then perhaps something will change.

Personally, I think that Mountain Lions should be very rare and only kept in zoos.

[Free Trapper]

You could at least shoot the dern critter while he was munching on someone else.

[expatpat]

Where is this? Near El Toro and Laguna?

[SoCal Pubbie]

Map here
http://www.biketrails.com/whiting.html

[paul51]

Officials were initially trying to capture the animal, but because it keeps coming back and is described as "very, very aggressive," they are now considering it for termination

Yeah. Send out a few more 'observers' and study it for a month or so. After all, the animal has only killed one person and attacked a few others. Incidentally, that women throwing rocks at it and chasing it off has some guts. To bad she wasn't armed. She could have cleaned up the whole situation right then and there.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Scary, no, reason for caution, yes. Mountain lions have actually been seen in my housing track at times. I saw a coyote run down our street a few months ago.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Men arriving on the scene threw the rocks.

[paul51]

The other woman reportedly saved her friend by throwing rocks at the mountain lion and scaring it away.

[Guillermo]

But you see, if the lion knows you're packing, he'd be less apt to attack...it's a deterrence thing.

[ambrose]

Mountain Lions are no more dangerous than your average kitten.

[dtel]

They are the "Cat of Peace".

[paul51]

Mountain Lions are no more dangerous than your average kitten.

You're joking, right?

[Bullish]

People peddaling along do look like prey to these cats, ya' know?

Most of them are probably half starving and are opportunists by nature, being a cat.

Now they'll hunt it down and kill it like that does some kind of justice, when it was only doing what should be expected of it.

[paul51]

It's not a quest for justice. It's more to prevent a recurrence

[StriperSniper]

I saw a coyote run down our street a few months ago.

Mus've been fleeing the local puma. ;-)

[Capt. Tom]

[martin_fierro]

Maybe if the victim sang, "I loooooooove yooooouuuuuu...."

[dtel]

Back before the time warp that brought us to Bizarro World, it would be standard operating procedure to immediately 'euthanize' ANY animal that developed an affection for the taste of human flesh.

I'm sure the poor pussy had a terrible childhood and will do well in rehab after a few sessions with the Animal Pyschic.

[paul51]

They will probably need a permit requiring an impact analysis and a court order to shoot the dam thing

[Bullish]

My point being you can't expect wild animals and people to ever co-exist without this re-occurring.

They either have to keep the animals out, or the unprepared people away.

And it's a big DUH! to the park folks who thought they could ignore a real large problem right under their noses.

They really should have known and taken steps to try and prevent this kind of tragedy.

[Nick Danger]

the mountain lion, apparently trying to defend it's kill, pounced on one of the women.

Sister Mary Yardstick sez:

If "it is" would not fit there, then don't put an apostrophe in "its".

[SoCal Pubbie]

I saw an interveiw with the woman. The cat didn't let go till the guys joined in.

[lepton]

Seems like it's time to start carrying a gun on their bike rides...

There's no reason why anyone should have a gun. If there's a problem, just call the police (the ones without guns). :)

[SoCal Pubbie]

If by the park people you mean the county parks, no, there are signs posted everywhere. A young child who was mauled in Casper Park a few years ago made BIG news around here. The bikers really should be coinsidered to use the trails at their own risk.

[lepton]

After they rename this mountain lion an "upland fur person",

You think Doug had something to do with it?

[paul51]

Either way. Anyone, man or women, standing eye to eye with a mountain lion and trying to chase him off from a kill with rocks in an effort to help the victim gets my salute.

[lepton]

But you see, if the lion knows you're packing, he'd be less apt to attack...it's a deterrence thing.

Actually, that's not so far from the truth: Mountain lion attacks began to increase a few years after hunting them was completely banned. When people hunted them with guns, they learned to stay away from people.

[Redcloak]

It's a good thing that hunting mountain lions is banned in the State Constitution!

[expatpat]

Thanks. I thought I'd seen the signs to it when visiting a friend who lives in Coto de Caza. I've been going there over a span of thirty years, long before the Portola, when it was all orange groves and you had to go across a (usually) dry river bed near the base of Saddleback.

[Guillermo]

Here, the first day is gun season is the last day you actually see any deer (unless you're hunting for them, even then, they're still more elusive).

[alrea]

people stopped hunting them with guns

Officials were initially trying to capture the animal, but because it keeps coming back and is described as "very, very aggressive," they are now considering it for termination

like deer and geese on the golf courses soon.

[Amerigomag]

Mountain Lion On Loose After Fatal Attack

I don't know whether to say "what a bizarre title" or "only in the mind of liberals".

Of course the animal is "on the loose". That's what he does.

Maybe liberals think that cats , once it's explained to them, respond to reason and turn themselves in voluntarily after having committed the "sin" of trying to survive.

[doug from upland]

Keep me out of this.

What a tragedy this was. A few years ago, a woman jogger was killed. These are not little pussy cats.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Mountain lions have actually been seen in my housing track at times.

Got kids? Any live in the neighborhood?

Shoot, shovel, and shut up.

[bd476]

"In all honesty, I'm not sure a gun would have helped that much. The lion leaped on a woman's back, then got a hold of her face. Yes, shooting the beast may prevent it from killing others, but they're so stealthy I doubt a victim would have much time to react."

Concur. This is what startles me most about this story.

A few years ago, we were hiking alone in a State Historical Park in the afternoon when we saw one of the Park Rangers leaving. I asked the Ranger if it was safe to be hiking alone as long as we stayed on the path.

She said "Actually we have had several sightings and reports from hikers of a female cougar walking along the path in the past few weeks."

"If you see it, don't run and don't stoop down for any reason. That's what deer and rabbits do before they try to run away from the cougar. Keep your kids close to you."

"In fact, it would be good to carry a big stick with you. Forget looking for one after you spot the cougar - it's too late."

"Just try to 'look big' by waving your arms in the air and by keeping your kids close to you. She'll probably leave you alone."

Despite the Ranger's "probably" we hiked up hill on the path for about another 10 minutes then sanity overcame my bravery and we hightailed it back down the trail to safety.

On another occasion I asked another Ranger in a different park if cougars generally were considered not very dangerous especially if you leave them alone. He replied:

"Cougars are lions, carnivores, just as dangerous as those lions found in other countries, although they are much smaller. The average cougar can take a 130 pound deer in its mouth over a 7 foot fence. If a cougar is hungry, a 130 pound or smaller sized human is equally vulnerable, although not a cougar's typical meal choice. Cougars are rarely seen, but that doesn't mean that they are not in the bushes watching."

This cougar attack tonight could serve as an important reminder for those who may still feel completely safe on hikes in the wilderness or who may still feel that a cougar would never leap out of the bushes at them.

I love wildlife and respect wildlife as much as I respect other wonders of nature. I also think that it's perfectly okay to give the creatures an extremely wide berth.

These people in today's attack were on bikes, probably going a lot faster than the average hiker. I've been on long walking hikes since the two quasi-warnings I heard from the Rangers. I hiked in the heart of cougar country, carrying no sticks, no big rocks and with the idea that it could never happen to me. Shudder.

[FreedomPoster]

Safety in numbers, herd mentality, and all that.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

LOL - I'll have to remember that one and use it on my husband. He makes that same mistake from time to time in his writings.

[bd476]

Yep. The cats get hungry up in the hills. It's hard to fathom one attacking someone on a bike. Two bicyclists would seem to be big prey going rather fast, when compared to someone walking.

And the other victim was a man. Most male bicyclists weigh more than 130 pounds, right?

[Brad’s Gramma]

So Cal, ping to #48...and good. Glad they got it.