Mountain Lion Wanders Into Yard

HIDDEN HILLS — Oblivious to the security guards and hidden cameras that watch over this gated community, a mountain lion wandered into Hidden Hills and was spotted Wednesday in the backyard of a startled resident.

The big cat did not harm anyone during its brief stay in the affluent area, although it did manage to escape once from the state Fish and Game wardens sent to capture it, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Marty Dailey of the Lost Hills station.

“It was never on the verge of attacking,” Dailey said. “It appeared to be more afraid of us than vice versa.”

Authorities were called to the scene about 8 a.m. and spent several hours trying to chase down the mountain lion, described as a large male.

Fish and Game officials caught the animal and tranquilized it, but it ran away, prolonging the chase until it was captured about noon, Dailey said.

Mountain lions are often spotted in hillside areas surrounding the San Fernando Valley, where the creatures roamed long before houses were built. Animal control officials say sightings are common during the spring.

Fish and Game has estimated that between 4,000 and 6,000 mountain lions live in the state. Only a handful of attacks on humans have been reported.

Officials plan to release the mountain lion captured Wednesday back into the wild, Dailey said.