It is 1,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to be attacked by a mountain lion, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
A child was sent to a trauma center after being attacked by a mountain lion on Tuesday evening in California just south of Half Moon Bay.
The San Mateo Sheriff’s Office said it responded to the report of a mountain lion attack on Tunitas Creek Road, in San Mateo County. The victim was a child that needed to be transported to a local trauma center to be treated.
Deputies said the boy was conscious during transport and suffered from puncture wounds from the attack, but it is unclear how severe or where the wounds were, ABC7 reported.
A neighbor in the area told ABC7 he arrived shortly after the attack. He told the outlet the child was in the backyard with his parents working on the property prior to the incident.
"They were pretty calm when I pulled up, they're my neighbors so I asked them if they were okay. They were very... they were good. They said everybody's fine, but they had to talk to fish and game, and a warden pulled up right as I pulled out," neighbor Chad Conover told ABC7. "Typically the mountain lions avoid people, so it's not often you hear about an attack on a human."
The sheriff’s office said the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be investigating the incident further.
Mountain lions are common in California foothills and mountains, but attacks are not, the CDFW claimed. It is 1,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to be attacked by a mountain lion, according to the CDFW.
Since 1890, in California, there have only been six verified mountain lion attacks that have been fatal, according to the CDFW.
The last update given to officials was that the boy will be okay, ABC7 reported.
"Our coastal community has endured so much these past few weeks. Our entire agency is saddened of this news and sends many warm wishes to the child for a speedy and full recovery. Our thoughts are with the family at this time,” San Mateo Sheriff Christina Corpus said.
