6-Year-Old Boy Attacked By Cougar

A 6 year old boy has suffered bite wounds and scratches on his head and neck due to a recent mountain lion attack in California. The boy was among his family, and others, while hiking at the Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve near Cupertino. He was released from the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center one day after the attack and is recovering at home.

ABC News reports that the mountain lion attacked in a manner similar to the way it would a group of deer by targeting the easiest prey, usually the smallest member. California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lt. Patrick Foy continued to say that the lion dragged the boy into some brush before his father and the other male adult in the hiking group shouted and acted aggressively toward the animal, scaring it away.

"That little boy probably would be dead had they not intervened," Foy said.

Authorities in Northern California have been using tracking dogs and setting traps to try and capture the lion. Foy claims "The animal is pretty comfortable in these surroundings... There's no indication to us that he's gone pretty far, we feel that he's nearby."

Foy also says that "We've intentionally minimized the team to eliminate any scent and track contamination in order to find this animal who we believe is a threat to public safety... we will be here for as long as it takes."

There have been 13 verified mountain lion attacks in California between 1986 and 2013, three of which resulted in deaths, according to the Fish and Wildlife department.

Have you ever had an encounter with a Mountain Lion?