Photos: There's a Mountain Lion in My Backyard—Almost

By Martin Henderson

A mountain lion kept a Rancho Santa Margarita neighborhood on its toes Tuesday when it decided to rest in the afternoon shade just a few feet from a man's back yard. 

The predatory feline was photographed by Chase Miller near his residence on Arboleda in Melinda Heights, which backs up to the north end of O'Neill Regional Park. Miller first spotted the animal when he looked out his back window.

"He hung around for about 45 minutes or an hour while resting in the shade," said Miller, who used the opportunity to get some some nice photos of the animal. 

Miller's first-hand account can be found in his surf lifestyle Smell of Summer blog, in which he is more likely to happen on a Great White Shark at the top of the food chain. He wrote that he saw the cougar "heading my way" about 4:30 p.m., and got to within 15 feet of his back yard.

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"Though no one was in immediate danger, the animal was so close to homes that everyone was on their feet," Miller blogged.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife was contacted, and Miller showed it his photos. A call to the Orange County Sheriff's Department was made at 5:23 p.m., to assist.