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. |
| Mar. 2024 |
Nonfatal |
El Dorado County (Remote) |
El Dorado |
Male |
18 yrs |
| Mar. 2024 |
Fatal |
El Dorado County (Remote) |
El Dorado |
Male |
21 yrs |
| Sept. 2024 |
Nonfatal |
Malibu Creek State Park |
Los Angeles |
Male |
5 yrs |
| June 2025 |
Nonfatal |
Trinity County |
Trinity |
|
|
Note: According to historical reports, four fatal incidents involving six victims occurred around the turn of the previous century.
Updated: June 2025