State Closes Park After Mountain Lion Encounter

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 state Department of Fish and Game’s Ventura office.

“Neither the horses or 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 access 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 one mile north of Moorpark.

One of the lions came under Virzi’s horse bearing 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 any more signs of activity.

“The rangers will be out there as well as mounted volunteers, checking fortracks 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 of the closure and warning people about the threat of mountain lions.

In mountain lion 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 up and hold their children.

“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.”

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

Authorities said they are not aware of any mountain lion attacks on people in this county in recent years.