What We Know Now About the Cougar That Injured a Boy at Malibu Creek State Park

Top line:

The mountain lion that attacked a 5-year-old boy in a rare incident at Malibu Creek State Park was a slightly underweight female, estimated to be 1 year old.

Why it matters: The mound weighed about 55 pounds, about 3 to 5 pounds less than the average weight for an animal that age, and had nothing in its stomach. It also tested negative for rabies, had no mange or obvious signs of illness, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Why now: The animal was euthanized following the incident and the autopsy results are now complete.

The background story: The boy was attacked while his family was having a picnic in the Tapia Park Public Use Area earlier this month in an “extremely rare incident,” Patrick Foy, a captain with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s law enforcement division, previously told LAist.

The National Park Service is asking people in areas where mountain lions live to follow these safety precautions:
- Don’t run or hike alone. Go in a group with adults supervising children.
- Keep children close. Do not let children play near rivers, in dense vegetation, or alone at dawn or dusk. When hiking with children, supervise them closely and never let them run ahead of you. Observations of captured pumas in the wild indicate that these animals seem particularly attracted to children.
If you encounter a lion, remember that the goal is to convince it that you are not prey and that you can be dangerous. Follow these safety tips:
- Do not approach a lion. Most pumas will try to avoid confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
- Don’t run from a lion. Running can stimulate a mountain lion’s chase instinct. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up if possible so they don’t panic and run away. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without leaning or turning away from the mountain lion.
- Don’t crouch or bend over. A standing human is not the right shape for a lion’s prey. Conversely, a person crouching or bending over looks like four-legged prey. In areas where mountain lions live, avoid crouching, crouching, or bending over, even to lift children.
- Do whatever you can to make yourself look bigger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Again, pick up small children. Throw rocks, branches, or anything you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the mountain lion that you are not prey and that you could be a danger to him.
- Respond to an attack. A hiker in Southern California used a rock to fend off a mountain lion that was attacking his son. Others have successfully fought back with sticks, hats, jackets, gardening tools and bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to stand and face the attacking animal.

Dig deeper: Learn more about the puma attack.