Mountain Lion

Ashley Hermans, wildlife management specialist from the Pasadena Humane Society, has some tips for those living near wildlife areas who may encounter a mountain lion:  Keep all food, especially pet food, and garbage in closed animal-proof containers and store indoors.  Keep property clean and trim of any vegetation overgrowth.  Mountain lions stalk their prey and do not like wide open areas.

Big cat shakes up LCF neighborhood LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- Residents were surprised to find their dogs had chased an animal a little bigger than a squirrel up a tree Saturday morning. A large mountain lion was reported about 11 a.m. Saturday, sitting in a tall tree in the backyard in the 1300 block of Journey's End Drive, Sheriff's Lt. Scott Brickert said. Neighbors told deputies they believed their dogs chased the big cat up the tree, he said. Sheriff's deputies and officers from the Department of Fish and Game watched the cat for several hours and discussed options like tranquilizing it or hosing it with water, Brickert said.

Mountain lion found dead near freeway A young mountain lion was discovered dead near the Ventura (134) and Glendale (2) freeway junction Saturday morning, animal control officials reported this week. A biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game spotted the male lion on the side of the road and reported it to the Pasadena Humane Society for pick up, officials said. The mountain, which was between 1 and 2 years old, appeared to be in good health and likely died after being hit by a passing vehicle, said Kyle Orr, a spokesman for the Department of Fish and Game.

Jackson Bell For the past 10 years, Mary Anne Anderson has been feeding feral cats living near the Grayson Power Plant. But with the recent sighting of a mountain lion in the area, city officials are taking every precaution to protect employees and nearby residents -- including no longer letting Anderson leave food for the cats and other wildlife it attracts. But she argues that starving the cats, who have relied on the food for years, will probably not get rid of the mountain lion.

Mark R. Madler Sue Wittick has been riding horses on the trails in Griffith Park for 20 years and, until recently, enjoyed taking evening rides there. That changed when signs went up announcing that a mountain lion is living in the park. Caution has become the watchword for some members of the equestrian community in Glendale and Burbank, although they recognize that the mountain lion has not attacked anyone. "I stay close to the freeway part of the park now," said Wittick, who lives in Glendale and is a horse trainer.

Hitting the brakes to stop for a crossing mountain lion is unusual for some but became a reality one morning last week for Mary Feliton when she came across a puma while driving near the intersection of Woodleigh Lane and Foxwood Road in La Cañada Flintridge. "I was going around the bend, and I had to put on the brakes. I would have expected it to bolt as soon as it saw a car," Feliton said. "The mountain lion was eight-feet long from head to tail." She said the sight of the mountain lion at about 11:20 a.m. Nov. 9 amazed her. The animal's muscular symmetry startled her and its tanned color left her in awe. "You don't know how to describe it, because you've never seen it before," she added.

On cougars in La Crescenta Cougar problems have increased in California ever since the state protected cougars from hunting in 1975. Once protected, cougar populations increased and gradually became a problem. According to a Fish & Game Biologist, a mountain lion typically has a 200 mile territory. Authorities seem to have given local residents in La Crescenta the run-around. This is not entirely surprising, since our society is not especially capable in dealing with any kind of predator.

Glendale's Deukmejian Wilderness Park is a hidden treasure for many residents. But a dozen residents felt swatting flies was worth it in exchange for an informative reconnaissance mission of the park that the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley hosted last Saturday. Attendees got the opportunity to learn about the site's history, ecosystem, geology, climate and infrastructure. The park, primarily used for hiking and picnicking, covers more than 700 acres. It offers miles of hiking trails and is the Crescenta Valley's only entrance to the vast Angeles National Forest.

Mountain lion tracks are still visible down the side of the hill near the Brown?s La Cañada Flintridge home. ?The ice plant is back now, but it was smashed down and you could see the [cougar tracks] all the way down the hill,? said Bob Brown. He and his wife are still dealing with the loss of their dog Buddy after a horrific night last week that began with a lot of barking. Brown had just arrived home from work July 30 when he heard barks from his 5-year-old dog Buddy, a 65-pound shepherd-terrier mix, echo from the backyard.

SPLISH SPLASH WITH THE FAMILY Get wet during the third annual Splish Splash Family Fun Day on Saturday at Hoover High School, 651 Glenwood Road. Participants who come in time for a water- safety presentation at 11:30 a.m. will enjoy a free day of recreational swimming, along with some fun and games. For more information, call 548-3375. LEARNING TO LIVE WITH WILDLIFE The city of Glendale, the Pasadena Humane Society and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will have a wildlife seminar at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Deukmejian Wilderness Park, 3429 Markridge Road in La Crescenta.