The CDFW defines a mountain lion attack as an incident resulting in direct physical contact between a human and a mountain lion resulting in physical injury or death to the person. An attack is verified only when a physician, law enforcement officer or CDFW personnel determine the injuries were caused by a mountain lion. Incidents reported as attacks that do not fit the criteria of verifiable attacks on humans are not included in the list below.
| Date
|
Type
|
Attack Location
|
County
|
Victim Sex
|
Victim Age
|
| March 1986
|
Nonfatal
|
Caspers Wilderness Park
|
Orange
|
Female
|
5 yrs.
|
| Oct. 1986
|
Nonfatal
|
Caspers Wilderness Park
|
Orange
|
Male
|
6 yrs.
|
| March 1992
|
Nonfatal
|
Gaviota State Park
|
Santa Barbara
|
Male
|
9 yrs.
|
| Sept. 1993
|
Nonfatal
|
Cuyamaca State Park
|
San Diego
|
Female
|
10 yrs.
|
| Apr. 1994
|
Fatal
|
Auburn State Recreation Area
|
El Dorado
|
Female
|
40 yrs.
|
| Aug. 1994
|
Nonfatal
|
Mendocino County (remote)
|
Mendocino
|
Male
|
48 yrs.
|
| Nonfatal
|
Female
|
48 yrs.
|
| Dec. 1994
|
Fatal
|
Cuyamaca State Park
|
San Diego
|
Female
|
56 yrs.
|
| Mar. 1995
|
Nonfatal
|
Mt. Lowe (San Gabriel Mtns.)
|
Los Angeles
|
Male
|
27 yrs.
|
| Jan. 2004
|
Fatal
|
Whiting Ranch Regional Park
|
Orange
|
Male
|
35 yrs.
|
| Jan. 2004
|
Nonfatal
|
Whiting Ranch Regional Park
|
Orange
|
Female
|
30 yrs.
|
| June 2004
|
Nonfatal
|
Sequoia National Forest
|
Tulare
|
Female
|
28 yrs.
|
| Jan. 2007
|
Nonfatal
|
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
|
Humboldt
|
Male
|
70 yrs.
|
| Jul. 2012
|
Nonfatal
|
Confluence of Shady Creek and Yuba River
|
Nevada
|
Male
|
63 yrs.
|
| Sept. 2014
|
Nonfatal
|
Cupertino
|
Santa Clara
|
Male
|
6 yrs.
|
| May 2019
|
Nonfatal
|
Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
|
San Diego
|
Male
|
4 yrs.
|
| January 2020
|
Nonfatal
|
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park
|
Orange
|
Male
|
3 yrs.
|
| February 2020
|
Nonfatal
|
Rancho San Antonio County Park
|
Santa Clara
|
Female
|
6 yrs.
|
| June 2020
|
Nonfatal
|
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
|
San Diego
|
Male
|
4 yrs.
|
| August 2021
|
Nonfatal
|
Calabasas (Santa Monica Mtns.)
|
Los Angeles
|
Male
|
5 yrs.
|
| May 2022
|
Nonfatal
|
Big Bar (Trinity River)
|
Trinity
|
Female
|
24 yrs.
|
Sept. 2022
|
Nonfatal
|
Pico Canyon Park
|
Los Angeles
|
Male
|
7 yrs.
|
| February 2023 |
Nonfatal |
Half Moon Bay |
San Mateo |
Male |
5 yrs. |
| March 2024
|
Nonfatal
|
El Dorado County (Remote)
|
El Dorado |
Male
|
18 yrs
|
| March 2024
|
Fatal
|
El Dorado County (Remote)
|
El Dorado |
Male
|
21 yrs
|
Note: According to historical reports, four fatal incidents involving six victims occurred around the turn of the previous century.
Updated: March 2024