Mountain lion attacks like the one that killed a man are rare
If hikers, bikers, campers, hunters and other outdoor enthusias t s haven’t encountered a mountain lion while in the California wilderness, they might know somebody who has.
The big cats that can weigh more than 150 pounds (68 kg) live in diverse habitats across the state, including inland forests, coastal chaparral, foothills and mountains. It’s not uncommon to spot a cougar near a trail, at a park or even in a backyard while they’re out hunting prey such as deer, racyoung men raised their coons, coyotes and occahands in the air to appear sionally pets. larger, shouted and threw
But attacks on humans a backpack at the lion in — like the one that recently an attempt to scare it killed a man and seriously away, a family statement wounded his brother — said. are rare. The mauling last Instead of retreating, the weekend was the first fatal cougar charged and took encounter with a mountain the younger brother to the lion in the state in two deground by his face. cades. “While Taylen beat on
Since 1890, there have and yelled at the lion, Wybeen fewer than 50 conatt was able to wrestle the firmed attacks on people lion to the ground with him in California, and only six on top of the lion. The lion ended in deaths, accordbegan clawing at Wyatt’s ing to the state Departmidsection causing Wyatt ment of Fish and Wildlife. to release his grip. At that While the prospect of atpoint, the lion released Wytacks on people is frightatt, got up and charged Tayening, humans kill far len, biting Taylen in the more cougars than the throat and taking Taylen other way around. to the ground,” the state
Taylen Robert Claude ment said.
Brooks, 21, was killed SaturHis face severely lacerday in a remote area northated, Wyatt Brooks coneast of Sacramento. His tinued to beat on the big 18-year- old brother, Wyatt cat in a futile attempt to Jay Charles Brooks, surget it to release his older vived the attack and is exbrother. Eventually he ran pected to recover after mulback toward their car to tiple surgeries. find cell service and call 911.Theirfamilysaidthe brothers from rural he previous fatal enMount Aukum were huntcounter with a cougar was ing for shed antlers when in 2004 in Orange County, they noticed the mounaccording to a verified list tain lion along the edge kept by the wildlife departof a dirt road in El Doment. rado County. As they were Last year, a mountain taught growing up, the lion pounced on a 5-year
old boy as he ran ahead of his family on a coastal hiking trail near Half Moon Bay. The big cat pinned the boy to the ground but didn’t bite him, and ran away when the child’s mother charged the animal. In September 2022, a 7-year- old boy escaped major injuries after he was bitten by a cougar while walking with his father at a park near Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles.
Up the coast in Washington state, a woman was riding her bike on a trail with a group last month when she was attacked by a mountain lion. The woman and her friends were able to fight the animal off, but she suffered injuries to her face and neck.
Meanwhile, mountain lion deaths on California roadways are a common occurrence, and are tracked as part of a twodecade study of the animals by the National Park Service.
In January, a female mountain lion dubbed F-312 by researchers died after being struck by a vehicle while trying to cross the same Orange County highway where one of her cubs was killed.
Scientists have been studying the lions since 2002 in and around Southern Cal i fornia’s Santa Monica Mountains to determine how they survive in a fragmented and urbanized environment.
The most famous cougar in the study, who became a kind of unofficial Los Angeles mascot, was P-22. After crossing two heavily traveled freeways and making his home in LA’s urban Griffith Park — home of the Hollywood Sign — P-22 became a symbol for California’s endangered mountain lions and their decreasing genetic diversity.
P-22’s journey inspired a wildlife crossing over a Los Angeles- area highway that will allow big cats and other animals safe passage between the mountains and wildlands to the north. The bridge is currently under construction. P-22 was euthanized in December 2022 after sustaining injuries possibly caused by car.