‘Heroic’ Mom fights off mountain lion to save five-year-old son

A woman has been hailed for her bravery after she successfully fought off a mountain lion that had pounced on her five-year-old son.

According to ABC News, the incident occurred in Los Angeles, United States (US) in the Calabasas neighbourhood.

“The commotion caused by the attack and the boy’s screaming alerted the mom who was inside. She ran outside and immediately started striking and punching at the lion and managed to fend the lion off her son. This mom’s an absolute hero who saved her son’s life, there’s no question about it,” said Capt. Patrick Foy with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Officials say the boy was playing near a tree near his home when the attack happened on Thursday. The wild cat had reportedly dragged the boy across the lawn during the incident.

Boy left injured in mountain lion attack

The child’s parents the rushed him to a nearby hospital and alerted the authorities about the attack. He sustained some injuries on his head, neck and upper torso.

He is currently in a stable condition at a Los Angeles hospital.

Local media has also cited an official as saying that a wildlife officer sent to the scene spotted the mountain lion “hissing” at him and shot and killed it.

“Due to its behavior and proximity to the attack, the warden believed it was likely the attacking lion and to protect public safety shot and killed it on site,” they said.

Wildlife experts say the mountain lion was born in October. They theorise that the attack happened in the manner it did because the animal was still learning how to hunt and find its own food.

The incident marks the first verified mountain lion attack on a human in Los Angeles County in more than 25 years.