As far as the two mountain lions go it is a sad situation. The officers tried everything they could to scare them away but the animals opted to attack. Turns out the Monrovia one was ill which may at least account in part why it attacked instead of run.

Things are tough up in the hills. Of course it is fall so we see a lot of dry stuff, but looking close at the trees, pines in particular when you are up higher you can clearly see they are stressed from the drought. It all snowballs and now the predators are further into the neighborhoods. Vigilant watching of the pets and kids will help, your things to do certainly is a great starting point.

With the continuing drought bringing about increasingly desperate conditions for creatures in their natural habitat, it’s best for residents of areas adjacent to wildlife corridors to expect more of these stories and plan accordingly and responsibly to protect themselves and their pets:

- Do not feed these animals, Habituating wildlife to humans is a death sentence (and may have been the indirect cause of the cyclist getting bitten).

- Keep pets indoors whenever possible and especially in the evening and early morning hours. Consider keeping your dogs in a fully enclosed kennel-type area if left alone for long periods of time during the day.

- Empty outdoor food and water bowls whenever pets are not in need of them.

- Make sure trash cans are secured and inaccessible.

- Trim away any overgrowth that might harbor predators or animals they prey on

- Repair, replace or modify inadequate perimeter fencing to better prevent animal intrusions.