Park Closed After Cougar Encounter : Wildlife: Happy Camp Canyon near Moorpark will be shut down at least a week while officials assess the threat.

Responding to a mountain lion stalking incident, state officials closed a Moorpark-area park as a precaution Friday--but decided not to hunt down and kill a pair of lions that threatened two horseback riders this week.

“The incident does not indicate that these cats are a danger to public safety,” said Capt. Roger Reese, who heads the Ventura office of the California Department of Fish and Game.

“Neither the horses nor riders were hurt in the incident,” he said. “Of course, there was a potential that something much graver could have happened, so we’ll have our field investigators out to assess the situation before we recommend reopening.”

Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park will be closed at least a week, officials said.

The two horseback riders--Sharon Virzi, 41, of Simi Valley and Robin Phipps, 27, of Moorpark--ran across the pair of mountain lions Wednesday afternoon at Cathedral Grove, an area of old oaks near Happy Camp Creek about a mile north of Moorpark.

One of the lions came under Virzi’s horse, baring its teeth. When the riders tried to turn back, another cat, standing on the trail behind them, blocked their way. The women then doubled back and rode up the trail. At least one of the cats followed them, Virzi said.

“I swear they were stalking us,” she said.

But park officials speculate that the two cats were probably startled by the horses while waiting for deer that come out of the hills to water at the creek. Because the two predators were spotted on such a popular trail, officials want to keep the public out for at least a week while they look for further signs of activity.

“The rangers will be out there as well as mounted volunteers, checking for tracks or any unusual occurrences,” said Rorie Skei, assistant executive director of the East County Conservation Authority, which oversees the park.

On Friday, park rangers posted signs that informed visitors of the closure and warned about the threat of mountain lions.

In cougar country, hikers are advised to walk in pairs. If a chance encounter occurs, experts suggest that people raise their hands above their heads to appear larger, make loud noises and walk away slowly. Do not run, they said, because that could trigger the cats’ predatory instinct. Parents are advised to pick their children up.

“I don’t really know how long we’ll be closed for,” said Drew Mashburn, a supervising park ranger for Ventura County. “When we reopen, people should just be aware that this is mountain lion territory, and that they should act accordingly.”

Sightings of mountain lions are common in Ventura County this time of year because they are following prey that has left the parched hills and mountains seeking food and water, experts said. Mountain lions have been seen in Happy Camp park on two or three other occasions in the last month, Reese said.

Authorities said they are not aware of any attacks on people in recent years in Ventura County.