Arroyo Verde Park in Ventura, California has been closed to hikers following several mountain lion sightings last week. Mountain lions were spotted near a hiking trail in the park’s northern area three different times over the course of last weekend.  At this time it is unclear how long the trails will remain closed.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning people in the area to stay alert and carry a powerful LED or other reliable flashlight at dawn, dusk and at night, times when the lions are the most active.  People are also asked to call 911 if any other sightings are made. A biologist with the department did say that the odds of being attacked by a mountain lion are extremely low.  Mountain lions tend to be reclusive, usually preferring to hunt alone at night.

If you do run into a mountain lion follow these helpful tips:

• DON’T RUN. This is the worst thing you can do as it may provoke the lion’s instinct to chase
• Stand your ground
• Make yourself appear as big as possible
• If necessary, defend yourself by throwing rocks and other objects at the mountain lion

To read more about mountain lion safety, visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife web site.  For more on this story, visit http://www.venturacountystar.com/

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 17th, 2007 at 7:39 pm and is filed under Camping Tips, Flashlights, Hunting Gear, LED Lights, Outdoor Tips, Hiking, Outdoor Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.