Mountain lion attacks elderly hiker in California - wife helps fight it off!

[Peter Hamilton]

Nice post LionRun--agreed

 

[LionRun]

Nice post LionRun--agreed

Thank you Peter .

Lion

 

[Dark Knight]

Then at least in the case of one of the cat's deaths it was perhaps what was needed to be done. Cougars will travel hundreds of miles to find new territory, and I was told that relocation often does not work with the problem cats. They tend to show back up from where they were removed. Or, in some cases they are relocated to an area that is already, "taken" by another cougar. Thus, a fight to death can occur or the relocated cat will travel on to find another territory. This is what a representative of The Texas Parks and Wildlife told me weeks ago when I inquired about relocating our resident cougar.

I saw the couple on cable last night. I am so glad that his life was spared in this brutal attack. Yet, I cannot blame the cat. He/she was doing what comes naturally--unfortunately it was a person the cougar chose.

I do not want for people and their pets or livestock to be hurt or killed by cougars. And, yet the cougars were originally native to all of the Americas. They were killed to near extinction. They are beginning to make a comeback, and more sightings occur each year. Additionally, people are moving further out into, "Mountain Lion" territory. So, where can they go where we can all be happy and relatively safe I wonder?

Lion

Plus I have always heard that once an animal becomes brave enought to attack a human, or see humans as food,, it has become too dangerous to keep around. Animals should have a natural fear of humans. They also destroy bears and gators for that reason once they have attacked.

 

[LionRun]

Plus I have always heard that once an animal becomes brave enought to attack a human, or see humans as food,, it has become too dangerous to keep around. Animals should have a natural fear of humans. They also destroy bears and gators for that reason once they have attacked.

Yes DK. So true, unfortunately. I am all for relocating when possible and if feasible; but, not necessarily in cases where a large predatory animal has been proven to have attacked a human.

Lion

 

[Dark Knight]

Yes DK. So true, unfortunately. I am all for relocating when possible and if feasible; but, not necessarily in cases where a large predatory animal has been proven to have attacked a human.

Lion

I prefer relocation, as well, but I understand the need to kill them in these cases, as well. Sad as it is. Unfortunately, one of these lions was innocent. Not sure why she was there with the other one.

 

[LionRun]

I prefer relocation, as well, but I understand the need to kill them in these cases, as well. Sad as it is. Unfortunately, one of these lions was innocent. Not sure why she was there with the other one.

As adults, cougars generally live solitary lives. During the mating season male and female can be seen together for a short period of time. Once mating has occurred they separate. Mothers care for and teach their cubs for about one to two years. She then drives them off for them to fend out on their own. Sometimes sub-adults (1-2 years of age) stay together for the first few months after separating from their mother.

More often than not attacks are made by juvenile or sub-adults who have recently left their mothers. They lack experience and skill to take down large, natural prey, and often go hungry if smaller, easier prey is not plentiful. Out of desperation and hunger they can resort to attacking humans. If they make it to adulthood without having resorted to attacking humans, they usually tend to not attack humans when they become adults.

I do not know the weights or sizes of the cats that were killed; but, based on general behaviour, they may have been juvenile or sub-adult siblings who were recently separated from their mother.

Even a thin, sub-adult can attack and kill an adult man who is in good physical condition. An adult male cougar can take down and kill a bull elk who may weigh more than five times that of the cougar.

Lion

 

[ljwf22]

SAN FRANCISCO - An elderly hiker who was attacked by a mountain lion last week was rushed into surgery when his condition worsened over the weekend.

Jim Hamm, 70, was back in the intensive care unit Sunday at Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, awaiting an airlift to a larger hospital in San Francisco, a hospital spokesman said.

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070128/ap_on_re_us/mountain_lion_attack

I hope everything goes well!

 

[Dark Knight]

SAN FRANCISCO - An elderly hiker who was attacked by a mountain lion last week was rushed into surgery when his condition worsened over the weekend.

Jim Hamm, 70, was back in the intensive care unit Sunday at Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, awaiting an airlift to a larger hospital in San Francisco, a hospital spokesman said.

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070128/ap_on_re_us/mountain_lion_attack

I hope everything goes well!

Oh, no! Lord be with him and his wife!

 

[LionRun]

Oh no. I am sad to hear this. Prayers for Jim to come through this and for his lovely hero, Nell.


Lion

 

[JBean]

Oh no! This poor family. Bless their hearts and I am hoping things improve. This is terrible.

 

[Buzz Mills]

Puma/Cougar/Mountain Lion
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Puma_concolor.html

They killed two mountain lions and said the female was the one that attacked him.

 

[JBean]

Puma/Cougar/Mountain Lion
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Puma_concolor.html

They killed two mountain lions and said the female was the one that attacked him.

You know, when the lion attacked Anne Hjelle and killed the other biker in Whiting Ranch, I think 2 lions were killed for that attack also.

ETA: Re the 2004 attack:

Later that night, Sheriff's deputies shot and killed a healthy (not rabid?) 2-year-old, 110-pound male lion, which was spotted 50 yards from the man's body. Also that night, a second 80 pound female mountain lion in the area was hit by a car and killed. Both lions were tested for general health and to see if either participated in the attacks. Results of these tests were that the lion at the scene attacked both humans within mere hours. Nieither the age nor health of the second lion was reported in any of the accounts that I saw. That two lions would be killed within hours of each others is another exceptional and unusual occurrence

http://users.frii.com/mytymyk/lions/attacks3.htm#Hjelle

okay one was an accident.

 

[Buzz Mills]

On the news:

Since 1892, there have only been 14 recorded mountain lion attacks, in California, on humans.

He's now at California Pacific Hospital in SF, and will be operated on again.

 

[LionRun]

On the news:

Since 1892, there have only been 14 recorded mountain lion attacks, in California, on humans.

He's now at California Pacific Hospital in SF, and will be operated on again.

Thank you Buzz. Do you know if Jim's wounds have become infected? Is there any word on why his conditioned worsened?

Lion

 

[Buzz Mills]

Thank you Buzz. Do you know if Jim's wounds have become infected? Is there any word on why his conditioned worsened?

Lion

Yes, they did say they were dealing with infection, between claw wounds and deep puncture wounds, I can only imagine what they are trying to deal with.

 

[JBean]

Mountain Lion Spotted In Rancho Palos Verdes 02-01-2007 4:57 AM

(Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) -- A mountain lion was spotted by several people yesterday afternoon, in a remote area of Rancho Palos Verdes. A sheriff's spokesperson says the cat was spotted by construction workers in the vicinity of Narcissa Drive and Palos Verdes Drive South shortly before 2 p.m. Fish and Game officers were called in but by nightfall the search was called off. Authorities are now planning to contact residents, in order to educate them on how to protect themselves and their pets from a mountain lion.<
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http://orangecounty.cox.net/cci/newslocal/local?_mode=view&view=LocalNewsArticleView&articleId=2130349&_action=validatearticle