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How rare are mountain lion attacks in California?

The search is on for a mountain lion believed to have attacked a child at Pico Canyon Park near Santa Clarita.

The attack happened Monday when a 7-year-old boy was apparently bit on the rear by a mountain lion while the child was climbing some steps. The boy’s father was not far behind and was able to scare the big cat off, officials said.

The boy’s injuries were minor, but he was briefly hospitalized.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says mountain lion attacks are extremely rare, but they do happen.

Since 1986, there have been 22 confirmed mountain lion attacks in California. Almost all have been non-fatal attacks, but three have resulted in deaths. The last happening in 2004 in Orange County.

List of mountain lion attacks in California:

March 1986NonfatalCaspers Wilderness ParkOrangeFemale5 yrs.
Oct. 1986NonfatalCaspers Wilderness ParkOrangeMale6 yrs.
March 1992NonfatalGaviota State ParkSanta BarbaraMale9 yrs.
Sept. 1993NonfatalCuyamaca State ParkSan DiegoFemale10 yrs.
Apr. 1994FatalAuburn State Recreation AreaEl DoradoFemale40 yrs.
Aug. 1994
Nonfatal
Nonfatal
Mendocino County (remote)MendocinoMale
Female
48 yrs.
48 yrs.
Dec. 1994FatalCuyamaca State ParkSan DiegoFemale56 yrs.
Mar. 1995NonfatalMt. Lowe (San Gabriel Mtns.)Los AngelesMale27 yrs.
Jan. 2004FatalWhiting Ranch Regional ParkOrangeMale35 yrs.
Jan. 2004NonfatalWhiting Ranch Regional ParkOrangeFemale30 yrs.
June 2004NonfatalSequoia National ForestTulareFemale28 yrs.
Jan. 2007NonfatalPrairie Creek Redwoods State ParkHumboldtMale70 yrs.
Jul. 2012NonfatalConfluence of Shady Creek and Yuba RiverNevadaMale63 yrs.
Sept. 2014NonfatalCupertinoSanta ClaraMale6 yrs.
May 2019NonfatalLos Peñasquitos Canyon PreserveSan DiegoMale4 yrs.
January 2020NonfatalWhiting Ranch Wilderness ParkOrangeMale3 yrs.
February 2020NonfatalRancho San Antonio County ParkSanta ClaraFemale6 yrs.
June 2020NonfatalBlue Sky Ecological ReserveSan DiegoMale4 yrs.
August 2021NonfatalCalabasas (Santa Monica Mtns.)Los AngelesMale5 yrs.
May 2022NonfatalBig Bar (Trinity River)Trinity Female 24 yrs.

Fish and Wildlife says a mountain lion attack is defined as any incident resulting in “physical injury of death to the person.” Attacks are only considered verified when a doctor, law enforcement officer or Fish and Wildlife employee confirms the injuries were caused by a mountain lion.

The boy who was attacked earlier this week had his wounds swabbed for DNA to confirm the attack and possibly identify the cat involved.

Mountain lions typically pose little threat to humans and generally avoid any human interaction, but the cats thrive in the dense brush and hilly terrain that surrounds the Greater Los Angeles area.

Wildlife officials have provided tip to reduce your chance of encountering mountain lions and advice on what to do if you come across one.

It’s unclear what will happen to the mountain lion believed to have attacked the child. In May, two coyotes were killed by law enforcement after a toddler was bit in Huntington Beach. Another coyote was killed under similar circumstances in Fountain Valley in June.

But mountain lions are a different beast — literally.

Mountain lions are a protected species in California and cannot be hunted, but there are exceptions to that rule when public safety is a concern.

For more information about mountain lions in California, click here.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates there are between 4,000 and 6,000 mountain lions across the state.