Mountain Lion Spotted Near Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Montecito Home, Neighbourhood Gets Warning

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been asked to lock down their Montecito mansion after a mountain lion was seen roaming around their neighborhood.

In an outdoor security footage, a mountain lion was caught moving around just five miles from Harry and Meghan's $14.6 million home. The clip shows the lion lurking down someone's driveway. According to experts, the lion was probably searching for food and water as the worsening drought seemed to affect wildfire and forests.

A source told The Sun, "There are all kinds of animals in the neighborhood - coyotes, bears and deer - but it's rare to see a mountain lion. We're in a drought so the animals are thirsty but also there have been fires and a mudslide in recent years which seems to have brought down the bigger animals."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were also told to secure their chickens as they could be the lion's next target. The couple previously sported their hens which they rescued from a farm factory while relocating to California. Executive director of the Montecito Association, Sharon Byrne, also reminded the residents to "secure their homes and secure their chicken coops and whatever other animals they may have."

She also urged the homeowners to "have night lighting, alarms, cameras and so on." She added, "Mountain lions are solitary creatures and ultimately, they don't want to be around people so we're hoping this one moves on by itself."

Mountain lions are reportedly the second largest big cat in America, next to Jaguars. Los Angeles and Mumbai in India are the two cities known to have these big cats. Around 100 big cats are said to be living in and around the Santa Monica Mountains.

National Park Service have tagged most of them with GPS collars. Big cats' lives in the city are believed to be endangered; some have loss their habitat, and others have been hit by vehicles as they seek food. Many have also started inbreeding as they cannot travel to meet others. At the same time, some people try to use rat poison to kill them.

A mountain lion is known to be dangerous; it was reported that a mountain lion last killed a human in California in 2004 when a 35-year-old man was attacked at Whiting Ranch Regional Park in Orange County. Meanwhile, a victim was also reported in the Montecito area; it was in 1992 when a boy was attacked at Gaviota State Park. He survived but suffered 50 puncture wounds and needed 600 stitches.