End Pavement

More coyote attacks have been reported on children in the Inland Empire, including one on Tuesday in Lake Arrowhead. The LA Times has the info in “Fish and Game urges caution around coyotes after recent attacks”

San Bernardino County sheriff’s investigators said Melissa Rowley was taking pictures of her daughter and three other children in front of their home about 11:45 a.m.

When she went inside to put away the camera, a coyote ran up, grabbed Rowley’s 2-year-old daughter by the head and tried to drag her down the driveway.

When Rowley rushed the animal, it dropped the girl, who was airlifted to Loma Linda Medical Center and treated for cuts on her mouth and puncture wounds on her head and neck. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said the girl was expected to fully recover.

Unfortunately, the fate of these coyotes isn’t a happy one –

“In the past nine months, five children have been bitten in that area,” Morse said. “We have gone in there and killed 23 coyotes since December. We want to eliminate as many as possible because they represent a serious threat to safety. They are attacking children right next to their parents.”

Morse said hunters working for Fish and Game spotted a coyote near the area where the Lake Arrowhead attack occurred, but it wasn’t safe to shoot it.

Coyotes usually are trapped in snares and shot.

Two attacks, even if they are scary and sad, do not mean everybody needs to panic. But as always, be safe, keeping a sharp eye on your children and pets in danger areas.

From the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin:

A mountain lion was captured about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of Beaver Way, said La Verne Police Lt. Gary Mason.

“We found a mountain lion sitting on the freeway wall,” Mason said.

“It was sitting up there, kicking back.”

From what it sounds like, I wish I could have seen a picture. :)

They had to chase and tranquilize him, but got him released afterwards.

A mountain lion in the Beaver Way neighborhood was unusual, Mason said.

“This was down right on the freeway - that was the only odd thing,” he said. “Normally, we just shoo them into the mountains.”

Update: Unfortunately, the story wasn’t quite accurate — according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the mountain lion died:

Authorities said a La Verne resident in the 1400 block of Beaver Way called about 12:30 a.m., saying the animal was sitting on a wall next to the 210 Freeway. Police contacted the California Department of Fish and Game officials, who later attempted to tranquilize the animal to transport and release him into the wilderness.

But the big cat, a young male between 9 and 14 months old, did not survive the ordeal, officials said.

“The lion died in the darting and transporting process,” said Fish and Game spokesman Harry Morse. “There is a loss factor. In this case the mountain lion did not make it through the capture.”

That’s really sad. Thanks to LA Now for pointing to the update.

Update 2: A bit more on the story, including a picture of the cat, from LA Now:

A neighbor called police, who then called the Department of Fish and Game. The animal, which was shot with a tranquilizer dart, died as it was being transported back into the hills.

“Everyone did their best,” [Ed] Dominguez said. “They really tried to save him.”