Mountain lion that attacked summer Northern California camp worker euthanized
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Trinity County authorities confirmed euthanasia of mountain lion after camp attack.
- Counselor injured in June 14 incident suffered only minor wounds, sheriff reported.
- Officials urge caution during sightings; attacks remain statistically very rare.
The mountain lion that attacked a Northern California summer camp worker was euthanized over the weekend, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office said in a Tuesday news release.
The counselor at the camp in Hyampom — 175 miles northwest of Sacramento — suffered “minor injuries” from the attack, the release said.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the incident, which occurred at roughly 3 p.m. on June 14.
After the incident, the property owner followed the mountain lion and euthanized a different cougar after “fearing for his safety,” according to a Thursday news release from CDFW and the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident came 15 months after a cougar fatally mauled an El Dorado County man and severely injured his brother, the first fatal mountain lion attack in California in 20 years, according to previous Bee reporting.
When encountering a mountain lion, the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office recommends: “Never approach a mountain lion. Give them an escape route.” Other tips include:
- Stay calm and back away slowly.
- Face the lion and stand up straight.
- Don’t approach a mountain lion, especially if it’s with kittens.
- Don’t run. It could stimulate a mountain lion’s chase instincts.
- Pick up small children so they don’t panic or run away.
- Don’t bend over or crouch down.
- Throw things at the mountain lion if it continues to move toward you.
- If the mountain lion attacks, fight back using anything around you.
- Report all sightings, encounters or attacks to local park rangers or law enforcement.
“Mountain lions typically pose little threat to humans, and generally avoid any human interaction,” the June 19 release from CDFW and Trinity County Sheriff’s Office read. “A person is one thousand times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion.”
