MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — An 11-year-old girl was injured by a mountain lion outside her family’s home in Malibu, California. The big cat then pursued her mother before being scared away, authorities reported on Monday.
The attack occurred Sunday evening while the girl was near a chicken coop on their property. The cougar approached her from behind, inflicting bites on her arm, leg, and lower back, as stated by Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The young victim was treated at a hospital for minor injuries, Tira said.
During the attack, the girl’s mother heard her child’s screams and ran over with one of the girl’s siblings.
“That’s when the mountain lion proceeded to chase the mother and the sibling,” Tira told the Los Angeles Times.
Another family member had a stun gun and the sound of the weapon scared away the big cat, Tira said.
Wildlife officers later found a mountain lion in the area and euthanized it. DNA tests will confirm if it’s the same animal that bit the girl.
Human attacks by mountain lions are uncommon. According to state Fish and Wildlife data, there have been 27 documented instances since 1986, most of which did not result in fatalities.
The most recent fatal attack was in March 2024, when a mountain lion killed a 21-year-old man near Georgetown in Northern California.
In September of last year, a mountain lion attacked a 5-year-old boy who was playing near his family’s picnic table at Malibu Creek State Park. The boy received treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening.
