Robert Meyer, who was hiking Sunday at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Orange County, videotaped a coyote in a defensive posture as it attempted to chase a mountain lion from a park trail.
The mountain lion, which had been sighted multiple times in the same area since July 7, was captured early Tuesday by Department of Fish and Game wardens.
The park reopened Tuesday but Serrano Cow Trail remained closed because the 2-year-old mountain lion might have been traveling with its mother.
The park was closed for the first time on July 10. It reopened Sunday and that's when Meyer captured the rare footage.
The park was subsequently closed until the lion could be captured.
Meyer told the Orange County Register: "It's kind of unusual to see a coyote in the first place. It's rare to see a mountain. It's extraordinary to see the two of them interacting like this. It's just amazing."
The DFG will determine whether to relocate or euthanize the cat. Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park was the scene of a fatal mountain lion attack in 2004.
This video is proof that the mountain lion population needs to be managed. There's a disturbing pattern of young lions trying to establish territories in suburban areas. We've got coyotes that wander by on the other side of our fence. I've got a few pictures of their antics. If I ever see a mountain lion, I'll be taking more than pictures!
Posted by: Jimbo | Jul 21, 2012 at 10:30 AM