Toddler Attacked By Mountain Lion In Whiting Ranch Wilderness

LAKE FOREST, CA — A mountain lion attacked a 3-year-old boy in the Whiting Ranch wilderness Sunday. That park in Lake Forest remained closed, Tuesday, until further notice.

According to the Orange County Fire Authority, a family of six was on an outing in the park before 4:15 p.m. Monday. The young boy was leading the way, when the large cat pounced, Capt. Tony Bommarito of the OCFA said.

The mountain lion "grabbed the boy by the neck and only released him when his father threw a backpack at the animal," Bommarito said.

The mountain lion then jumped into a tree with the backpack.

The boy was taken to a hospital for treatment of "non-life-threatening neck injuries and cuts" and was released Monday evening to recuperate at home, Bommarito said.

The park was evacuated by Orange County sheriff's deputies, who flew over the park in a helicopter and used a loudspeaker to instruct people to leave.

The sheriff's department received authorization from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to euthanize the mountain lion shortly before 5:30 p.m., citing a public safety threat, according to a sheriff's department tweet.

The park will remain closed until further notice, Bommarito said.

This was not the first mountain lion attack in the area. In 2004, 35-year-old cyclist, Mark Reynolds, was killed by a mountain lion in the same park. He was fixing his bike when he was attacked by the large cat. The same animal attacked two other individuals who discovered Reynolds' body. That mountain lion was later tracked down and killed.

Fish and Wildlife officials say that over half of California is mountain lion territory.

"Mountain lions are solitary and elusive, and their nature is to avoid humans," they wrote on their website. Learn more about staying safe in the presence of mountain lions at the Fish and Wildlife website.