A five-year-old boy was brutally attacked by a mountain lion on January 31.
The child was on an evening hike with his mother and grandparents in California, when the unexpected happened.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said that the boy, Jack Trexler, could have died if his mother, Suzie Trexler, hadn’t intervened and fought with the cougar during the attack in San Mateo County.
The terrifying incident happened at approximately 6:50 p.m. close to the family’s property on Tunitas Creek Road near Half Moon Bay.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife did a search but could not locate the animal. They had to abandon their efforts to capture the mountain lion after they were refused access to private areas close to where the attack happened.
Animals are often euthanized after attacks because of the danger they present to humans.
The boy’s parents brought him to a local hospital. The boy’s aunt, Amie Wagner, spoke for the family and told the media that Jack suffered lacerations and a cracked bone close to his eye.
In a similar incident, in September 2022 in Southern California’s Santa Clarita Valley, a seven-year-old child was attacked by a mountain lion while on a stroll with his father. The child was treated for minor injuries after the father scared the cougar away.
Attacks against humans by mountain lions are not very common. The Department of Fish and Wildlife reports there have been only around 20 verified attacks in California over the past 100 years, and only three have been fatal.
Department of Fish and Wildlife Captain Patrick Foy warned, “If attacked, fight back. That’s probably the most important thing for people to understand. It’s not something where you play dead. You have to fight for your life.”