1 dead, another injured in first fatal California mountain lion attack in 20 years

Asia Bown
·4 min read
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This July 10, 2016, photo shows an uncollared adult female mountain lion photographed with a motion sensor camera in the Verdugos Mountains in in Los Angeles County, Calif. A mountain lion attacked two brothers in in Georgetown, California.
This July 10, 2016, photo shows an uncollared adult female mountain lion photographed with a motion sensor camera in the Verdugos Mountains in in Los Angeles County, Calif. A mountain lion attacked two brothers in in Georgetown, California.

While antler shed hunting in Georgetown, California, two brothers — 18 and 21 years old — fell prey to a mountain lion attack on Saturday. The attack proved fatal for the elder brother, but the younger “will probably make a full recovery” after multiple surgeries, The Washington Post reported.

The 18-year-old reported the attack to authorities and was treated on the scene for “traumatic injuries to his face” before being taken to a hospital, per USA Today. Officials then found his brother on the ground, the mountain lion positioned next to him. The 21-year-old had died before medical personnel could render aid.

In a press release, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said, “In the interest of public safety, CDFW authorized a professional trapper, who was able to locate and euthanize the mountain lion within a few hours of the incident.”

What we know about the mountain lion

According to the CDFW, the DNA of the euthanized mountain lion was a match for samples taken at the scene.

“This is the first confirmed fatality from a mountain lion attack in California since 2004,” the CDFW said, per the press release. The last recorded fatality was a 35-year-old man in Orange County, California, per The Washington Post.

CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham extended his condolences, saying, “First and foremost, our hearts go out to the families and loved ones affected by this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s office revealed that the family wishes to maintain their privacy, The Washington Post reported.

What to do if you see a mountain lion

Even if you spend much of your time outdoors, you’re unlikely to see a mountain lion. “Statistically speaking a person is 1,000 times more likely to be struck be lightning than attacked by a mountain lion,” the CDFW said. This was the first fatal attack in California in 20 years, with only 22 verified mountain lion attacks in the state since March 1986, per The Washington Post.

Still, sightings and incidents continue to happen, but there are too few to accurately predict risk factors. Winston Vickers, a wildlife research veterinarian at the University of California at Davis, told The Washington Post that “research has found that attacks and resulting death are more likely if a child is present or if individuals are moving erratically.”

Like California, much of Utah and the western U.S. are home to mountain lion populations that live alongside humans. They venture as close to our homes as our backyards, as evidenced in this video footage taken on a Ring camera in Sandy, Utah, last year, per KUTV.

To better protect yourself and your families on the trail and in mountain lion habitats, you can take the following steps to minimize a mountain lion encounter, per the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources:

  • “Stand up tall. Do not crouch or squat. Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head.”

  • “Never run from a cougar, since that could trigger the cougar’s instincts to chase.”

  • “Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.”

  • “Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly and leave the area.”

  • “Fight back if you are attacked! Protect your head and neck. If you are aggressive enough, the cougar will probably flee.”

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Game Mammals Coordinator Darren DeBloois said, “Typically, a cougar that is trying to prey on something will sneak up and ambush them ... When a cougar lunges or bluffs a charge at someone, they are typically just trying to drive them out of the area because they have kittens or a kill nearby that they are trying to protect.”

To lower your chances of encountering a mountain lion altogether, per the UDWR: “Do not hike or jog alone, maintain awareness in cougar country, make noise on the trail to alert animals to your presence, travel in groups and keep everyone together, including children and dogs, do not leave children outside unattended, especially at dawn and dusk, install outside and motion-sensitive lighting around your property, reduce hiding places for wildlife, bring pets and livestock inside at night or secure them in a barn or kennel with a top and leave the area if you find a dead animal.”