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The Brief

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  • News
    Solstice Canyon Closure
    Mountain lion targets dog
    By  Tyler Wayne
    Published October 25, 2023 2:07 PM

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    mountain-lion-rock.jpg
    A mountain lion (Photo by Rosalie Kreulen via Shutterstock)
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    Courtesy NPS
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    Topline: The Solstice Canyon area in Malibu was closed Tuesday following reports of a mountain lion trying to attack a dog.

    What Happened: The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area says the dog was not injured in the incident. The dog’s owner, however, did receive minor injuries while intervening.

    The Solstice Canyon area in Malibu was closed Tuesday following reports of a mountain lion trying to attack a dog.

    The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area made the announcement on Tuesday, saying the dog was not injured in the incident. However, the dog’s owner did receive minor injuries.

    “A scratch basically, just minor injuries, and he was treated for those,” said Seth Riley, the wildlife branch chief for the US National Parks Service. “He was able to grab the dog and keep the lion from capturing it.”

    While only one lion tried to attack the dog, Riley later found out that the dog owner spotted two others nearby.

    “We didn’t see them ourselves, but he did and also some of our park rangers that were in the area were able to see them afterwards,” Riley said.

    What happens next?

    Rangers have since assessed the area, and while Riley said there are no plans to capture the mountain lion, the park is actively studying the species through the Santa Monica Lion Project.

    “The goal is to try to understand how these animals are making it or not making it in this very urban landscape that we have here near Los Angeles,” Riley said.

    The Solstice Canyon area is expected to reopen Thursday at 8 a.m.

    Tips on staying safe

    • The National Park Service asks people in areas where mountain lions live to follow these safety precautions:

      • Do not jog or hike alone. Go in groups with adults supervising children.
      • Keep children close to you. Do not allow children to play along river banks, in heavy vegetation, or alone at dawn or dusk. When hiking with children, watch them closely and never let them run ahead of you. Observations of captured wild mountain lions reveal that the animals seem especially drawn to children.

      If you encounter a lion, remember the goals are to convince it that you are not prey and that you may be dangerous. Follow these safety tips:

      • Do not approach a lion. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
      • Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion's instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up if possible so that they don't panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.
      • Do not crouch down or bend over. A human standing up is just not the right shape for a lion's prey. Conversely, a person squatting or bending over resembles a four-legged prey animal. In mountain lion country, avoid squatting, crouching or bending over, even when picking up children.
      • Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you are wearing one. Again, pick up small children. Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly in a loud voice. The idea is to convince the mountain lion that you are not prey and that you may be a danger to it.
      • Fight back if attacked. A hiker in southern California used a rock to fend off a mountain lion that was attacking his son. Others have fought back successfully with sticks, caps, jackets, garden tools and their bare hands. Since a mountain lion usually tries to bite the head or neck, try to remain standing and face the attacking animal.

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