On Sunday, a 5-year-old boy was attacked and severely injured by a mountain lion while on a picnic with his family at a state park in Southern California, according to state officials.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reported on Tuesday that a group of at least six adults and several children from Woodland Hills were picnicking at Malibu Creek State Park in Calabasas when the incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m.
The children were playing near the picnic area when the mountain lion attacked the young boy, inflicting “significant but non-life-threatening injuries,” wildlife officials stated.
One of the adults charged at the mountain lion, prompting the animal to release the boy. The mountain lion then climbed a nearby tree and remained there until first responders arrived.
Southern California SceneryCalifornia State Parks rangers, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, state wildlife officers, National Park Service personnel, and Los Angeles Fire and Rescue responded to the scene.
After consulting with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), State Parks rangers decided to euthanize the mountain lion with a firearm, determining it posed a threat to public safety.
The boy was airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, where he was treated and released early Monday morning.
CDFW officials visited the boy in the hospital to collect samples from his wounds for evidence. They confirmed that the DNA from the samples matched that of the deceased mountain lion.
“CDFW and State Parks officials are relieved that the family is safe, the child is recovering, and no one else was injured,” the agency said.