The wrong mountain lion was killed after a cougar attacked a summer camp worker, California officials say.
The camp worker “was attacked by a mountain lion” east of Hyampom at about 3 p.m. Saturday, June 14, according to a joint news June 19 release from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The attack left the worker with minor injuries, officials said.
To ensure the cougar was no longer in the area, the property owner followed “in the direction the lion was last seen,” officials said.
As he was searching, the property owner came across “a mountain lion and, fearing for his safety, euthanized the animal,” officials said.
Wildlife officials responded and collected the feline’s body for testing, according to the release.
Through DNA analysis, officials said they confirmed the cougar killed “was not the same mountain lion responsible for the earlier attack.”
Wildlife officials are working to find the animal from the attack, according to the release.
Hyampom is about a 245-mile drive northwest from Sacramento. What to do if you see a mountain lion
Typically, mountain lions pose a minimal threat to humans and tend to avoid human interactions, officials said.
“A person is one thousand times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion,” officials said.
Mountain lions are typically “calm, quiet and elusive,” according to the National Park Service. While attacks involving mountain lions are rare, they are possible.
“Even so, the potential for being killed or injured by a mountain lion is quite low compared to many other natural hazards,” the National Park Service said on its website. “There is a far greater risk, for example, of being killed in an automobile accident with a deer than of being attacked by a mountain lion.”
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