Camera Again Captures Orange County Cougar

A mountain lion caught on tape by a security camera last week near a Rancho Santa Margarita school was captured on video again Wednesday near the same waterfall, authorities said.

Volunteers with the state Department of Fish and Game canvassed the gated communities near Santa Margarita Catholic High School to distribute fliers warning residents about the sighting. The school was also cautioned.

A Dove Canyon Homeowners Assn. camera outside the community first captured 30 seconds of footage of the adolescent cougar March 24 about 3 a.m. The cat was crossing the stream at the Dove Canyon horse trail, 150 to 200 yards from the campus.

The second sighting took place about the same time and lasted 45 seconds.

Wildlife experts said they were stumped about why the cougar returned to the man-made waterfall, particularly since it was not seen drinking at the site.

“We wish we could figure that out,” said Lt. Angel Raton of the Department of Fish and Game. “It’s so strange he would come back exactly a week later, within 10 minutes.”

The cougar, which appears to weigh between 60 and 80 pounds, did not display any aggressive behavior on camera, Raton said. Residents of the adjacent Dove Canyon and Coto de Caza communities have not reported any household animals being injured or eaten.

Wardens urged residents to take some extra precautions but not to be overly alarmed. They asked that people not walk trails by themselves early in the morning or late at night.

“Just be alert,” Raton said. “We’re going to keep monitoring and patrolling the area.”

The sightings came nearly three months after a mountain lion killed a bicyclist in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, six miles northwest of the school, and seriously injured a second cyclist hours later.