Mountain Lion Attacks 11-Year-Old Girl, Euthanized in Malibu

An 11-year-old girl was attacked by a young adult male mountain lion while feeding chickens at her Malibu home, sustaining serious injuries to her arm, leg, and back. The girl's sister scared the cougar away using a stun gun, and after an extensive search, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers located and euthanized the animal, with DNA tests pending to confirm it was the same cougar involved in the attack. Mountain lion attacks on humans are rare in California, with only 28 verified incidents since 1986, but notable recent attacks include a five-year-old boy in Malibu Creek State Park and two brothers in El Dorado County earlier in 2024. The incident highlights ongoing challenges in human-wildlife coexistence as mountain lions increasingly appear near residential areas. Authorities advise caution and preparedness for encounters with these big cats, emphasizing the importance of deterrents such as bear spray or stun guns. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to investigate and monitor such incidents to improve safety measures in urban-wildlife interfaces.