A mountain lion that attacked a 5-year-old kid while he and his family were hiking in California will not be taken out of the wild, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The boy, who has been given the first name Jack by a relative, might have perished from his wounds if his mother hadn’t brought him to safety after the terrifying attack on Tuesday night.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife tweeted that DNA testing on the animal proved it was the same mountain lion that had injured the youngster.
The five-year-old boy who was attacked by a mountain lion near Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County on January 31 is recovering from the attack. CDFW wishes him and his family well in their continued recovery. pic.twitter.com/uTtIGbgZd6
— California Department of Fish and Wildlife (@CaliforniaDFW) February 4, 2023
The department concluded its investigation into the horrifying incident because it claimed it was consistently denied access to private houses where the animal is thought to be.
The government said that from the day of the assault, CDFW and partner agency officers had been denied entry to the main private property and nearby private properties to apprehend the offending mountain lion.
The likelihood of successfully capturing the offending mountain lion has decreased due to this lack of access, bad weather, and mountain lions’ tendency to roam.
On the day of the attack, Jack went out on a stroll with his mother and grandfather not far from their family’s farm. According to the authorities, the small child was running ahead when the mountain lion pounced on him, pinning him to the ground.
The animal, which was thought to be a cub, was chased away by Jack’s mother after she charged at it.
The youngster was transported to a trauma facility where he received treatment for his injuries, including puncture wounds.
Jack’s aunt, Amie Wagner, described the injuries Jack sustained on a GoFundMe page to assist with his medical costs: “Jack has multiple lacerations, especially on his adorable face, in addition to a fracture near one eye.” He has numerous bruises, wounds, and scratches, yet his spirit is unbroken.
I am not shocked that Jack would be the youngster who could defeat a mountain lion in a fight, she said.
On Wednesday, the young kid was discharged from the hospital.
Human attacks by mountain lions are uncommon. The Department of Fire and Wildlife estimates that in more than a century, there have only been roughly 20 confirmed assaults in California.
