Mountain lion spotted prowling near Harry and Meghan’s California mansion
Harry and Meghan are reportedly ‘on alert’ after a wild animal was spotted within five miles of their mansion last month.
The mountain lion was seen prowling around California, near the couple’s $14.6 million (£12.1 million) Montecito home, where they live with their young children and pets.
Security camera video shows the predator prowling the streets late at night on July 23 – with locals being urged to secure their animals, who might be at risk from an attack.
Mountain lions – known by various other names including a cougar and panther – are not considered to be much of a threat to humans.
But there have been some attacks – including this summer, when a young girl playing hide and seek was hurt in Washington – with interactions on the rise as humans increasingly encroach on their territory.
Chickens at Harry and Meghan’s home could potentially make it a target, however.
The Sun reported that the executive director of the Montecito Association – which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be members of – explained: ‘There’s a drought on here in California so he or she [the lion] was probably looking for water and whatever food could be scavenged, so that’s why they headed to where people live.
‘So far, all we have is this one sighting.’
Sharon Byrne continued: ‘We want all locals to secure their homes and secure their chicken coops and whatever other animals they may have.
‘Chickens can be a fast, easy source of food for hunting animals so they have to be safe and secure.’
Harry, 37, and Meghan, 41, showed their chicken coop to Oprah Winfrey in a now notorious interview about their experiences in the Royal Family.
Also living at home with the couple is young Archie, three, Lilibet, one, and two rescue dogs.
The Sun added that a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tim Daly said: ‘Our biologist in the area says it’s not unexpected for mountain lions to be in that part of the region.
‘There’s lots of open space nearby, and the properties in that community tend to be large, with lots of cover.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted a representative for Harry and Meghan for comment.
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