Mountain lion spotted carrying prey through backyard of Burbank hillside home
A Burbank hillside resident was recently reminded of just how wild things can get in their hillside neighborhood when their home surveillance camera caught a known mountain lion passing through their backyard with prey clutched in its jaws.
The cougar, known as P-41, is seen on camera carrying a raccoon in its mouth as it walks through the homeowner’s backyard, located above Sunset Canyon Drive and south of Magnolia Avenue, according to a statement from the Burbank Police Department.
A research team from the National Park Service has been tracking P-41’s movement since May 2015. According to data collected from a tracking collar around its neck, the 8-year-old male mountain lion has been spending most of its time in the Verdugo Mountain region, and biologists believe most of its diet consists of mule deer, according to the statement.
“There is no indication that P-41 has demonstrated any abnormal or aggressive behavior,” National Park Service spokesperson Kate Kuykendall said in the statement. “He is in his natural habitat and taking his natural prey.”
Although mountain lions are considered solitary animals and sightings are relatively rare, the California Department of Fish and Game offers these safety tips:
- Do not feed deer, as it is illegal and will attract mountain lions.
- Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
- Keep pets inside when mountain lions are most active, during dawn, dusk and at night.
- Keep pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.
- Do not leave children or pets outside unattended.
- Install motion-sensitive lighting.
- Do not hike, bike or jog alone, especially when mountain lions are most active.
- Never approach a mountain lion, but if you ever encounter one, do not run. Instead, face the animal, make noise and make yourself look bigger by waving your arms.
There have been a handful of encounters with mountain lions in the Verdugo Mountain region in recent years.
In August, a mountain lion was spotted in the backyard of another Burbank hillside home as it snatched a pet poodle before taking off into the hills.
In June 2014, a mountain lion was seen roaming in the Brace Park area of Burbank.
“What people have to remember is that because of the drought, we have lack of water, and animals that are normally up in the hills come down for water and food,” said Burbank Police Sgt. John Dilbert at the time.
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Brian Park, brian.park@latimes.com
Twitter: @TheBrianPark
