Slain Mountain Lion Is One That Killed Hiker : Wildlife: A necropsy finds human hair and scalp in the animal’s stomach. Officials are at a loss to explain a series of attacks by the cats, which were thought to fear humans.

Authorities confirmed Monday that the mountain lion shot Saturday night is the animal that killed a 58-year-old woman who was hiking and bird watching at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

But they were at a loss to explain why the mountain lions at the park have suddenly begun behaving aggressively toward humans.

In the past, zoologists have surmised that only a diseased, rabid or crippled mountain lion attacks people and that a healthy lion flees at the sight of a human. But Cuyamaca mountain lions that have menaced or attacked visitors have been healthy.

“The lions are behaving in a way we historically did not think they would,” said Laura Itogawa, supervising ranger at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. “I’ve been involved with this issue for two years, and I wish I had answers.”

Trackers on Saturday night chased and shot the lion after the fatal attack on Iris Kenna, a career counselor at a San Diego high school. It was the fifth lion killed in the past 15 months after stalking or menacing people in or near the sprawling park east of San Diego.

County veterinarian Dr. Hubert Johnstone, who performed the necropsy, said the 116-pound mountain lion was an adult male, fully capable of hunting deer. He said human hair and scalp were found inside the stomach, along with deer remains.

Jeff Weir, assistant deputy director for the state Department of Fish and Game, told reporters that the department plans a study to determine why the Cuyamaca cougars are behaving so aggressively and what can be done to protect the public.

“Cuyamaca is a hot spot for cougars,” Weir said. “There are several others, but Cuyamaca is the hottest.”

Weir referred to Kenna’s death as “a tragedy we’re not sure we can prevent from happening again” until more is known about the Cuyamaca cougars’ behavior.

Dr. Mark Super, deputy medical examiner for San Diego County, said Kenna died of bites and clawing to the neck, head and upper body and was probably attacked from behind while fleeing.

Mountain lion sightings have become increasingly common in California. The state mountain lion population is estimated by biologists to have tripled to more than 6,000 since a 1971 law made it illegal to hunt the big cats.

Mark Palmer, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation, said that the biggest concentration of mountain lions is in Northern California, where there have been fewer sightings. “Something weird is happening at Cuyamaca,” he said.

Kenna’s death is the fourth in California from a mountain lion attack since record-keeping began. A 40-year-old woman was killed in April while jogging in Auburn State Recreation Area in El Dorado County. In 1909, two people in Santa Clara County died of rabies after being bitten.

Rangers believe about 20 mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, may live in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

By fleeing, Kenna may have done the wrong thing. “Mountain lions prefer to take down their prey from behind,” ranger Homer Townsend said.

Rangers suggest that anyone who is confronted by a mountain lion should maintain eye contact with the animal, make noise and wait for the animal to leave. The campgrounds at the park, 50 miles east of San Diego in the Cleveland National Forest, will remain closed until further notice.