LOCAL : Hurt Lion Captured in Valencia
An injured and undernourished mountain lion found its way into the back yard of a Valencia woman’s home this morning before being captured and transported to a refuge for wild animals in the Angeles National Forest.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Hubbs said the woman, Bobbie McDonald, called 911 at 8:20 a.m. to report that a lion was roaming in the back yard of her home in the 25900 block of Sandalia Drive.
Deputies and officials from the Castaic Animal Shelter responded and found the lion in the woman’s garage. The lion was tranquilized and transported to the Wildlife Way Station in Little Tujunga Canyon.
John Rozier, manager of the animal shelter, said the lion appeared dehydrated and to have an injury to its jaw and its right hind foot. Rozier estimated the lion’s weight to be about 70 pounds, compared to a normal weight of about 100 pounds.
Mark Palmer, conservation director of the Mountain Lion Preservation Foundation in Sacramento, said there has been an increase in the number of wild animals venturing into residential areas in search of food and water because of drought conditions.
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