Mountain Lion That Attacked Young Boy Was Underweight, Had Empty Stomach

CALABASAS, CA — The mountain lion that attacked a 5-year-old boy at Malibu Creek State Park earlier this month was underweight and had nothing in its stomach at the time of a necropsy conducted after the animal was euthanized, state wildlife officials said Tuesday.

The necropsy revealed the female mountain lion was between 12 to 16 months old, weighed 52.8 pounds — 3 to 5 pounds underweight for a lion of that age — had empty stomach contents, and tested negative for rabies. It did not have mange or any obvious internal organ abnormalities to indicate illness, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The cougar attacked the boy during a family picnic at the park on Sept. 1. The boy and other children were playing next to the family's table when the lion lunged for the boy. The animal grabbed the boy by his head and started to run away, authorities said.

The adults at the picnic charged at the lion, causing it to release the boy and dart up a nearby tree. The attack caused significant but non-life-threatening injuries to the 5-year-old, according to officials.

State Parks rangers arrived at the picnic area after they were notified of the attack and found the mountain lion in the tree.

"In consultation with CDFW wildlife officers, they deemed the mountain lion a threat to public safety and a ranger euthanized it via firearm," CDFW said in a statement.

The boy was airlifted to Northridge Hospital Medical Center to treat his injuries and was released Monday morning, CDFW said.

At the hospital, wildlife officers collected evidence samples from the bite and scratch wounds and the victims per standard protocol. The evidence samples were confirmed by a DNA match to the euthanized lion by CDFW's Wildlife Forensic Lab in Sacramento.