Search Called Off for Mountain Lion that Attacked Marin Man

The Department of Fish and Game has called off the search for a mountain lion that attacked a Marin County man who was camping in Nevada County on July 1.

The 63-year-old man was asleep in a sleeping bag on a sandbar along Shady Creek, a tributary of the Yuba River,

The man suffered wounds to his scalp, head, wrist and armpit, and scratches on his back, Department of Fish and Game spokesman Patrick Foy said. He was treated at a hospital and released later that day.

After the attack, which lasted up to two minutes, the lion stared at the man for a short time then ran off, Foy said.

DNA taken from a saliva sample found on the man's shirt indicated that a female lion was responsible for the attack. Trackers and dogs never picked up the lion's scent, and several days passed in which no fresh tracks or prey were discovered, DFG spokesman Michael Taugher said.

Cameras placed along trails in the area didn't show the lion passing through, and the search ended Tuesday morning.

Foy said the Marin County man who was attacked has not yet agreed to give interviews to the media about the incident. He has also declined to have his hometown publicized.

Bay City News Service