As he walked just 10 feet in front of the group he was hiking with, a six-year-old boy was attacked Sunday afternoon by a mountain lion that lay in hiding beside a trail. The attack occurred in the Picchetti Ranch Zinfandel Trail area just west of San Jose.
According to a statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the mountain lion's jaws gripped the boy's head and neck and the cat tried to drag the boy into the bushes.
Two men with the group ran shouting toward the lion, which released its grip and ran away.
The boy was carried back to a car by family members and taken to Valley Medical Center in San Jose where he was treated for serious but non-life threatening puncture wounds and scratches.
Park officials have closed the area as they look for the mountain lion, which will be euthanized in the interest of public safety.
Searchers noted tracks indicating the cougar had followed the families back to their cars; as of Monday morning, the search was still continuing.
Though present throughout California, mountain lion attacks on humans are rare. A list of verified mountain lion attacks can be found at www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/lion/attacks.html.