Officials Fear 2 Mountain Lions Are in Fillmore Area : Wildlife: Game wardens returned another big cat to the wilds after its capture in a Chatsworth condominium complex.

A mountain lion from the suburban wilds of the San Fernando Valley regained her freedom Saturday in a Ventura County forest, but state wildlife officials say a pair of big cats are still prowling around Fillmore.

State Department of Fish and Game wardens released the 18-month-old, 70-pound female lion in a remote, unpopulated portion of Los Padres National Forest after she was captured Friday in a condominium complex in Chatsworth and tranquilized by animal control officers.

The lion was released near the Ventura-Kern county line in the foothills of Mt. Abel, at least 15 miles from the nearest community. U.S. Forest Service spokesman Earl Clayton said the lion will join about 200 to 250 mountain lions already living in the 1.9-million-acre national forest.

Fish and game officials said the lion was probably born in the Santa Susana hills just southeast of Simi Valley and had lost its fear of humans. The lion was seen several times drinking out of back-yard swimming pools and prowling suburban neighborhoods in the northern San Fernando Valley.

Meanwhile, reports of big-game animals on the loose in thinly populated areas of Ventura County have wildlife experts concerned about the threat to domestic animals and people.

Larry Sitton, state wildlife management supervisor, said there have been several reports of at least two different lions prowling Fillmore and Piru.

One adult lion with a collar around its neck was seen recently, leading authorities to believe it could be an escaped pet. The other is a smaller cat with no collar, Sitton said.

El Dorado mobile home park resident Lyle Smith, 85, said he saw the smaller lion last week behind his shed. Smith, who has lived in the complex two years, was astounded to see a wild animal in his back yard.

“It just surprised me. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the mountain lion,” Smith said. “I think they’re hungry, and they come down and they need food and water.”

The lion escaped after a chase of several hours. It was last seen heading toward the hills.

Wildlife experts cite increasing urban development in the foothills of Ventura County and the five-year drought as the main reasons for the exodus of big cats from their remote mountain habitat.

Normally, the lions prey on grouse, quail and other small animals, Game Warden John Hernandez said.

“The drought’s shrunk the water supplies and food sources,” he said. “Now there’s mountain lions and bears emerging.”

Hernandez said the lions might be leaving Los Padres forest or the Sespe preserve, both just north of Fillmore, to hunt domestic food.

“If they have a ready source of food, they’ll hang around there till doomsday,” Clayton said. “Unless you take them to the other side of the globe, these animals will come back.”