Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park was closed Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 4, and will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time due to recent mountain lion activity.
An alert from OC Parks said the closure is “out of an abundance of caution,” but did not provide details.
While it’s unclear if the incident prompted the closure, a video shared on social media Monday showed a mountain lion appearing to approach mountain bikers, who filmed the interaction.
They were on the Dreaded Hill Trail when the mountain lion came out from nearby bushes onto the paved dirt trail. The bikers slowly moved back from the big cat while still facing it and shouting, “Go away!”
“Just keep walking backwards,” one person can be heard saying, a few expletives scattered throughout.
Music played from their speakers as they slowly moved backward.
“Go away kitty,” one person said, before saying a prayer asking for protection.
The mountain lion disappeared off into the bushes.
Photographer Mark Girardeau, creator of OC Outdoors, shared the video and noted the mountain bikers did the right thing by backing away slowly, never turning their backs and shouting and keeping their bikes between them and the mountain lion.
Girardeau, who aims at educating the public about how to co-exist with wildlife, had his own encounter with a mountain lion a few years back.
OC Parks staff is working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and UC Davis Wildlife Health Center biologists.
At times, parks in the area, including Whiting Ranch have closed for days or even weeks after a sighting.
Mountain lion attacks on humans are rare. Since 1890, there have been fewer than 50 verified mountain lion attacks on humans in California, including six fatal incidents. In most cases, the person was alone when the attack occurred.
In 2020, a 3-year-old boy sustained minor injuries in the same area; the lion involved was shot and killed and the park was closed for two days.
Whiting Ranch is the same area where a fatal attack occurred in 2004. Mountain biker Mark Reynolds was killed while crouching next to his bike, which had a broken bike chain, believed to have made him a more attractive target.
Later that afternoon, another bike rider was attacked by the same lion, but escaped with injuries when other bikers threw rocks at the cat.
The animal was located, shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies hours later.
Mountain lions are native to California and the second largest feline in North and South America, according to CDFW.
As development has limited the big cats’ natural territory, UC Davis researchers have conducted the “California Mountain Lion Project” to focus on Southern California mountain lion conservation. It was launched in 2001.
“Mountain lions typically pose little threat to humans, and generally avoid any human interaction,” CDFW officials say on the agency’s website. “A person is one thousand times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion. People who live in mountain lion habitat can take precautions to reduce their risk of encountering a mountain lion.”
A few more tips from CDFW:
• Do not hike, bike, or jog at dawn, dusk, or at night. Avoid hiking, biking, or jogging alone.
• Stay alert on trails. Keep pets leashed and walk with small children; don’t let them run ahead.
• Never approach a mountain lion. Give them an escape route.
• Do not run — stay calm. Do not turn your back.
• Face the animal, make loud noises and try to look bigger. If with small children, put them on your shoulders.
• Do not crouch down or bend over.
Visit OCParks.com for updates.
