It was a she, and weighed in about 110-120 lbs.
Posted on 06/27/2004 6:26:08 PM PDT by aculeus
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A woman was attacked by a mountain lion while hiking in central California, but was rescued when her friends stabbed the animal with a knife and threw rocks at it, officials said.
Shannon Parker lost her right eye, was injured in her other eye and suffered deep lacerations to her right thigh during the attack Saturday, officials with the California Department of Fish and Game said.
Parker, 27, of Santa Monica, was transferred to UCLA Medical Center, where she underwent reconstructive surgery Sunday morning, Game and Fish spokesman Steve Martarano said.
Parker's family asked UCLA not to release her condition, hospital spokeswoman Rachel Shampeau said.
Authorities said Parker was hiking with three male friends about 20 miles north of Kernville when the 70-pound female lion attacked her, Martarano said. The lion ran off after Parker's friends stabbed it and threw rocks at it.
The lion left a bloody trail as it fled, and was later shot and killed by U.S. Forest Service officers and state game wardens, Martarano said.
The lion "appeared to be emaciated" and officials will do a necropsy Monday to determine whether it was sick or injured, Martarano said.
A 2002 wildfire in the area may have hampered the lion's ability to find enough food, he said.
"Before the fire, (the area) was considered moderate to good mountain lion and deer habitat. The fire changed everything," but the area had recently started to revive, Martarano said.
He said the incident was the 15th mountain lion attack on a human in California since 1890.
In January, a mountain lion killed a cyclist and mauled another near Los Angeles.
I hunt in this area and see the big cats quite often. I never go there unarmed, even if not hunting.
True, but the cat already had the woman.
The cat's adrenline was pumping big time while the ladie's frinds needed a few seconds to decide what to do.
Agree, they did the right thing under the circumstances.
Still, firearms were not an option here.
Same here.
Problem is cats are a lot like rattlesnakes.
If you can see them, no problem.....
The ones you dont see are the ones that are liable to getcha.
I also doubt whether anyone would have had a chance to draw a weapon. Unless this predator was very sick, the initial attack would have already happened before anyone had time to react. It sounds as if they did the right thing after that.
Lions to the left of me,
Black Bears to the right.
Here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you...
I wonder what she did to provoke the attack.
Probably was having her period. Happens all the time.
The cats I've seen in this area were all at a distance. If they know you're there, they'll usually stay away. This is not an area where major development has encroached on there habitat. They might, however, be enticed to attack a lone hiker.
I carry a gun when hiking in mountain lion areas. But because of the stupid CA gun laws I have to settle for a smaller caliber so it can be concealed.
Accidental or purposive?
Understand.
But from what I can discern from the article the cat was starving, and being this time of year, probly had cubs.
The woman was on the cat's territory and was the smallest and weakest of the hiking party. Natural prey for the cat.
She is just very lucky she escaped with her life.
Turn the other cheek? Oh wait, she tried that...
Hey... it's all fun and mountain lions until someone loses an eye.
No, that would be shark attack, I think. She may have been carrying food, or maybe the mountain lion suffered from a disease to make it so bold.
According to an article in Hand Gun magazine about wilderness defense mountain lions only attack for one reason, for food. The author also concurred with the FReepers here who have said that a gun is of little use for the same reasons they have stated, no time and it's too risky to shoot at an animal that is mauling someone else. Pepper spray is the best defense if attacked.
Total accident. Near Yosemite. Was crusin along about 65, looked to the right, didn't see anything, looked back to the center line, and saw her lunging at my car.
Last view I had was her right in front of my left rear view mirror, left ftont foot on the road, and right front foot raised like attack position.
I drive a little beige colored Nissan, nearest I can figure, she caught a whiff of a dear nearby, saw my car in motion, and went for it.
Just barely caught her head with the rounded part of my front bumper, bit of blood and hair on the car, but otherwise, not a scratch.
Kind of a shame.
I shook for a good twenty minutes before I drove back and dragged her off the road, she was dead on the centerline.
They are bold because no one hunts them anymore. It has been outlawed in CA. It's the same in states that have outlawed hunting lions with dogs because that makes hunting lions nearly impossible. There have only been 11 fatalities from lion attacks in CA since 1890, nine of which have occurred since 1986.
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