MALIBU — A mountain lion attacked a 5-year-old boy at a popular Southern California park over the holiday weekend and state rangers later euthanized the big cat, officials said Tuesday.

The child was attacked Sunday afternoon while playing near his family’s picnic table at Malibu Creek State Park west of Los Angeles, according to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“One or more adults charged at the lion, and it released the boy,” the statement said. “Multiple witnesses saw the attack and observed the mountain lion climb up a nearby tree.”

Child Airlifted to Hospital with Significant Injuries

The child was airlifted to a hospital with injuries that were significant but not life-threatening, according to the statement. He was released Monday.

The cougar remained in the tree until state parks rangers arrived and determined it was a threat to the public. The animal was euthanized with a firearm, officials said.

Mountain lions rarely attack people. About 20 attacks have been confirmed in California in more than a century of record-keeping, and only three have been fatal, the Fish and Wildlife department said earlier this year.

In March, two adult brothers who were attacked, one fatally, by a mountain lion in Northern California tried to scare the cougar away once they realized it was stalking them, and then fought with the animal after it pounced.

Recent Mountain Lion Encounters in Southern California

In September 2023, a 7-year-old boy was bitten by a mountain lion while walking with his father around dusk in a park near Santa Clarita north of Los Angeles. The father scared the animal away, and the child was treated for relatively minor wounds.