Close Mountain Lion Encounter While Camping in Malibu

Close Encounter While Camping

• 🏕️ A camper in Malibu had a very close encounter with a mountain lion on August 4th, captured on video.
• 📱 The man was looking at his cell phone when the mountain lion emerged from the bushes and walked right past him before running away.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 He was camping with his family, and thankfully, no one was injured during the incident.

Recent Mountain Lion Attacks

• ⚠️ The close call occurred just days before an 11-year-old girl was attacked by a mountain lion on August 10th while tending to her family's chicken coop.
• 🏥 The girl was hospitalized with serious injuries, and the cougar involved was euthanized.
• 📈 California Department of Fish and Wildlife data indicates that verified mountain lion attacks on humans are rare, with most not being deadly.

Past Incidents in the Area

• 🌲 Several other incidents have occurred locally, including a 5-year-old attacked in September 2024 in Creek State Park and a 7-year-old attacked in September 2022 at Pico Canyon Park.
• 🏡 In August 2021, a 5-year-old boy was attacked in his front yard in an unincorporated community in the Santa Monica Mountains near Calabasas.
• 🚨 The camper reported his sighting to park rangers, who were aware of the encounter.