Woman Fights Off Mountain Lion To Save 5-Year-Old Son
NEAR CALABASAS (CBSLA) -- A 5-year-old boy was attacked by a mountain lion near a Calabasas neighborhood when his mother intervened to save him.
"The commotion caused by the attack and the boy's screaming alerted the mom who was inside. She ran outside and immediately started striking and punching at the lion and managed to fend the lion off her son," said Capt. Patrick Foy with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "This mom's an absolute hero who saved her son's life, there's no question about it."
The boy was playing near a tree near his home when he was attacked and dragged about 45 yards, officials with the California Fish and Wildlife Department said.
He was injured in his head, neck, upper torso and was recovering at the Children's Hospital in L.A.
The mountain lion that attacked him was a kitten born in October from lion P54.
Experts also said if you encounter a mountain lion, do not turn and run away. Instead, "try to make yourself look bigger than you are and give it space to move on," said Ana Beatriz Cholo with the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area.
If that doesn't work, then physical action or throwing items may be used, Cholo said.
A human attacked by a mountain lion has not been reported in over 20 years in the Santa Monica mountains.
According to experts, the attack likely happened because the boy is small and at that age, the mountain lion is still learning how to hunt and fend for themselves.
