Hungry mountain lion trapped in SoCal family’s backyard after raiding henhouse
A Southern California family trying to catch whatever was preying on their backyard animals got an unexpected shock when their homemade trap snared a much larger predator than they’d imagined — a mountain lion.
The Hernandez family, who live in Fallbrook in San Diego County, realized something was wrong after several chickens and four pet cats vanished from their henhouse.
“There was a big hole on the rooftop and there were chickens missing and there were feathers all over the place,” Sonia Hernandez told FOX 5.
Assuming a coyote was responsible, her father-in-law built a trap to catch the culprit. Instead, the family discovered they had captured a mountain lion. Concerned for their children’s safety, Hernandez said they called 911. Wildlife officials arrived the next day and released the animal back into the wild, as California law requires mountain lions caught by private citizens to be freed near where they were trapped.
Hernandez said she understood authorities were following regulations, but she and her neighbors had hoped the cougar would be relocated elsewhere.
“We weren’t really happy about that because of our children and animals,” she said, adding that the family fears the predator could return.
Neighbor Jeanette Villegas, who keeps horses on her property, voiced similar concerns.
“Releasing that animal knowing it has a food source, I believe it may come back,” Villegas said. “I walk the property in the evening to check on my animals, and who knows if it’s watching me. It could be lurking behind a building, a bush — anything.”
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