Mountain Lion Attacks Man in Nevada County

[CA DFG RSS Feed]

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has confirmed a mountain lion attacked a 63-year-old man who was camping northwest of Nevada City. The attack occurred in the early morning hours of July 1.

More...

 

[Deleted member 33033]

How many is that this summer now? Three???

 

[MULEY51]

I love how they keep going back to 1890, saying ONLY 13 CONFIRMED attacks. Look at the chart...There's been 14 CONFIRMED attacks since 1986 (if you add the 3 this year). Interesting how the number of attacks has jumped dramatically since the ban on hunting....and no one mentions it in their official reports.

The guy in this report was NOT jogging, hiking or biking, which supposedly triggers the attacks. He was in his sleeping bag.

Watch your back...they are DEFINITELY out there watching you.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

I love how they keep going back to 1890, saying ONLY 13 CONFIRMED attacks. Look at the chart...There's been 14 CONFIRMED attacks since 1986 (if you add the 3 this year). Interesting how the number of attacks has jumped dramatically since the ban on hunting....and no one mentions it in their official reports.

The guy in this report was NOT jogging, hiking or biking, which supposedly triggers the attacks. He was in his sleeping bag.

Watch your back...they are DEFINITELY out there watching you.

While researching the FACTS about lions, look at the change in their behavior over the past twenty years that they've enjoyed exclusive protection. Here in California there were only 3 lion attacks on humans from 1890-1985. Since 1986 there have been 16 confirmed lions attacks (I include the bow hunter who shot one last season in self defense) and some estimate that represents half the actual number because a lot of people here go missing while hiking, biking and camping in lion habitats. Moreover, on a nationwide review we find that between 1890-1990 there were only 53 confirmed lion attacks on humans.Between 1991 and 2004 there were 88 confirmed attacks.
Given that the average lion in the wild lives 12 years, this means that virtually all of the lions alive today have enjoyed protection and thus, have LOST their fear of humans. Add to this FACT that the a female will produce 6-30 lion cubs over her lifetime and you can see how the population can explode. Nobody can say for certain just how many there are. The CA DFG estimated we had 2400 lions here in 1972 and 6000 lions by 1989. Then they enacted the total protection of lions. What do you suppose that number is now? If the rate continued unchecked, we have approx. 20,000 lions here now. The new age of lions do not fear you and in the face of diminishing food sources, may view you as easy prey. But hey, don't listen to me...trust the DFG, plug in your ipod and go for a jog in the wilderness.

 

[Shoobee]

Seems like every 10 years there is a rash of these attacks in California.

Last time was back in 2004.

Before that was 1994.

I remember the lady jogger from 1994, who was dragged off and partially eaten by a female lion with cubs.

The guy who was recently mauled was sleeping under the stars in a sleeping bag -- not a great idea in the California Sierra. Best to have a tent at least.

Numbers of lions is definitely up here in the Golden State. Probably up to 4 or 5 thousand.

Whether they have lost their fear of humans is hard to say with any scientific accuracy.

Polar bears, grizzlies, and sharks have no inherent fear of humans, and whether you hunt them or not, it doesnt make any difference.

It seems to me wolves and mountain lions are the same, whether you hunt them or not.

Joggers tend to attract attention from wolves and lions in a similar manner, by it triggering their pursuit response, same as for a dog, which is a domesticated wolf.

This guy was sleeping under the stars, and the lion probably smelled and tracked him to the campsite. It's never smart to sleep out without at least a tent of some kind. Even though a grizzly would rip you out of a tent, the other predators would not.

 

[Deleted member 33033]

Seems like every 10 years there is a rash of these attacks in California.

Last time was back in 2004.

Before that was 1994.

I remember the lady jogger from 1994, who was dragged off and partially eaten by a female lion with cubs.

The guy who was recently mauled was sleeping under the stars in a sleeping bag -- not a great idea in the California Sierra. Best to have a tent at least.

Numbers of lions is definitely up here in the Golden State. Probably up to 4 or 5 thousand.

Whether they have lost their fear of humans is hard to say with any scientific accuracy.

Polar bears, grizzlies, and sharks have no inherent fear of humans, and whether you hunt them or not, it doesnt make any difference.

It seems to me wolves and mountain lions are the same, whether you hunt them or not.

Joggers tend to attract attention from wolves and lions in a similar manner, by it triggering their pursuit response, same as for a dog, which is a domesticated wolf.

This guy was sleeping under the stars, and the lion probably smelled and tracked him to the campsite. It's never smart to sleep out without at least a tent of some kind. Even though a grizzly would rip you out of a tent, the other predators would not.

The DFG estimated we had 6000 lions in '89...gotta be closer to 20,000 now based on that rate of growth.