A 35-year-old female bison named Here Comes Trouble, or Trouble for short, that lived in William S. Hart Park in Santa Clarita died over the weekend, park officials announced Wednesday.
Trouble was one of the oldest and “most spirited” members of a herd living in the sprawling park, located at 24151 N. Newhall Ave.
Los Angeles County Parks Director Norma García-González said in a statement that the department was “saddened” by the loss of Trouble. “She will be greatly missed.”
Trouble was born at the park on April 12, 1988 and gained a reputation of being feisty because she apparently picked fights with herd mates, officials said.
“She also had a playful side and sometimes challenged the park staff by squaring up to the truck during the morning feeding time. She was a beloved and memorable character among the herd, enjoyed by park visitors and staff, who frequently said, ‘Here comes Trouble’ when they saw her approaching,” parks officials said in a news release.
“Trouble brought a lot of joy to those who crossed her path,” L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area, said. “Her personality always shone through, and she made both park visitors and staff smile with her antics.”
In the wild, bison may live for 15 years, but in captivity, bison may live as long as 25 years, according to the National Park Service.
“Trouble exceeded the life expectancy of bison in captivity – living a full 35 years under the care of William S. Hart Park staff,” officials said.
The department has cherished the bison herd at William S. Hart Park as a historical and cultural asset since 1962, when Walt Disney donated a herd to L.A. County. The bison had lived at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch in Placerita Canyon.
Ten remaining bison live in the park.
More than 200 animals call L.A. County parks home, many of which are cared for by park stewards and professionals, officials said.