A family in San Diego County experienced tense moments after discovering that a trap they had set in their backyard to catch coyotes had instead captured a far more formidable visitor — a mountain lion.

The Hernandez family, who live in the rural community of Fallbrook, installed a humane cage trap after noticing several animals had vanished from their property. The troubling घटन began when chickens started disappearing from their coop.

Speaking to local outlet KTLA, Sonia Hernandez said a large hole had been torn into the roof of the henhouse, with feathers scattered everywhere — clear signs of a predator attack.

In the following days, the situation worsened. Four of the family’s cats also went missing, including a female that was about to give birth. The loss was especially painful for Hernandez’s mother-in-law, who had grown particularly attached to the animals.

Believing a coyote was responsible, the family decided to take action. Sonia’s father-in-law built a cage trap, which they placed on their rural property. But on the night of February 19, when her husband went outside to check it, he was met with a shocking sight: inside the trap, lying calmly, was a large mountain lion.

The discovery sparked both astonishment and fear. “He woke everyone up, and we couldn’t believe how big it was,” Hernandez said, adding that her first concern was for the safety of her three children, ages five to nine.

After the initial shock, the family called 911. The next morning, state wildlife officials arrived and released the cougar in the same general area where it had been captured. The animal quickly retreated into the surrounding natural landscape.

The decision left the Hernandez family uneasy, as they had hoped the mountain lion would be relocated farther away to prevent further incidents. Neighbors, including Jeanette Villegas, who owns horses nearby, shared those concerns, fearing the predator could return after identifying the area as a food source.

However, authorities explained that under California law, any mountain lion captured in a private trap must be released within the same general vicinity where it was found.