MOUNTAIN LION THREATENS CYCLISTS AT LOCAL PARK.

Byline: Sonia Giordani Daily News Staff Writer

Sycamore Canyon was closed Tuesday while federal wildlife officials hunted for a mountain lion that threatened several bicyclists at Point Mugu State Park over the weekend.

Park officials said at least a dozen bicyclists reported sighting a mountain lion in the area where Big Sycamore Canyon and Serrano Canyon intersect.

In one incident, two bicyclists riding together felt so threatened by the big cat that they locked themselves in a portable toilet on the side of the trail when the lion moved toward them.

``For a mountain lion to do anything other than walk away from a human is abnormal. Even a sighting is very rare,'' said Capt. Roger Reese of the California Department of Fish and Game.

``It is the kind of behavior consistent with past situations when people have been attacked - and we have decided that this animal is a threat to the public's safety.''

Wildlife specialists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture spent Monday and Tuesday surveying the area. Footprints and tracks indicate that there is only one mountain lion, Reese said.

``In the best situation, the mountain lion would just leave or disappear,'' he added. ``But if we do encounter the animal, we would either use tranquilization equipment or kill it.''

State Fish and Game officials were notified of initial reports of a mountain lion seen in the area just south of Big Sycamore and Serrano canyons Sunday morning.

Then that afternoon, two mountain bikers spotted a mountain lion about 50 yards ahead of them on the trail. The two cyclists, identified only as two local women, told park officials they saw the lion run into the brush near the trail and decided to back up to a picnic area and wait a few minutes.

The women said that when the lion started to move toward them, they locked themselves inside a portable toilet for fear of being attacked.

Reese said mountain lions normally are fearful of humans and that this animal's behavior is extremely rare, suggesting it has become accustomed to humans and no longer is afraid to approach them.

Mountain biker Mark Langton of Thousand Oaks said the recent sightings should remind local residents to take some precautions while they are out using the trails.

Langton, a member of the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association and the volunteer Mountain Biking Patrol Unit with local park agencies, said people should avoid hiking or cycling alone and should always tell a friend or neighbor where they plan to go and how long they expect the trip to take.

``Personally, it bothers me when I hear that park officials are considering killing a wild animal. We are in their back yard,'' Langton said. ``But then again, this is a public park, and they are charged with the public's safety.''

Thousand Oaks resident Mike Dunn said he hopes the lion is scared away and spared before park officials track it down in the region.

``Mountain lions are still pretty rare, and the fact is this is their home. I hope we take every precaution to help save this wildlife asset,'' said Dunn, a Los Angeles firefighter and former member of the U.S. Forest Service who hikes and jogs through Point Mugu State Park at least three times a week.

Dunn said his wife, Laura, was jogging near Sycamore Canyon when National Park Service rangers notified her that the canyon trails were closed because of the mountain lion.

But Dunn said he still feels safe on the local trails.

``I'm more concerned when I'm driving back and forth to work on the freeways,'' he said. ``I moved to this area because it gives me the feeling of being in Yosemite while living in Newbury Park.''

LION ALERT

Safety tips:

Avoid hiking alone.

Keep children close to you.

Never approach a mountain lion or any wild animal, even if it seems docile.

Do not run from a mountain lion. Instead, stand tall and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have children, pick them up so they won't panic and run away.

Do not crouch or bend over.

Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Pick up small children. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice to convince the lion you are not prey.

Fight back if attacked.

Immediately report all encounters or attacks.

For more information, call [phone] or [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) A sign posted on a fence at Point Mugu State Park warns visitors of the presence of mountain lions.

(2) Ranger Robert Heagy of the National Park Service talks to his supervisors by two-way radio from a trailhead at Point Mugu State Park, where he was posted Tuesday to keep hikers out of Sycamore Canyon after a mountain lion scare over the weekend.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News

BOX: LION ALERT (See text)