Search called off for 'nomadic' mountain lion that attacked Jack Trexler, 5, in California
HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA: California wildlife officials have called off the search for a mountain lion that attacked a five-year-old boy Jack Trexler on a hiking trail in rural Northern California on Tuesday, 7 pm. The officials claimed that capturing the animal was unlikely.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said on Friday that DNA testing confirmed that a mountain lion was responsible for the attack last Tuesday in San Mateo County, south of San Francisco. The boy was treated at the hospital.
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Why did they call off the search?
“This lack of access, combined with worsening weather and the nomadic nature of mountain lions has diminished the chances for a successful capture," said Capt Patrick Foy, a department spokesman as per Independent.
The boy had raced ahead of his mother and grandparents along Tunitas Creek Road when the big cat pounced on him and pinned him to the ground leaving him with facial lacerations, cuts, and bruises. Not before his mother Suzie Trexler charged the cougar who then let the boy go and ran off. Trexler suffered some "battle wounds" as reported earlier.
What happened to Jack Trexler?
According to Foy, the boy was not bitten. His face was scratched, and he had a fractured bone near his eye, his aunt, Amie Wagner said. "That mountain lion picked the wrong kid and mama to mess with," Wagner wrote on GoFundMe page which she is organizing for Jacks's parents to cover his medical expenses. The page has generated $32988 as of Saturday. "Jack and his mom bravely fought off the attack but he was left with some battle wounds in the process," she added.
Wagner despite many lacerations, especially on his "precious face" and cuts, "the spirit remains intact." "He is the most courageous, adventurous little guy I have ever met and I am not surprised that if there was a kid who could wrestle a mountain lion and come out on top, it would be Jack".
In an update Jay, the father said, "He (Jack) wasn’t too far ahead of my wife when the juvenile cat was startled and reacted.". He added "It happened so fast. Fortunately, my wife reacted immediately, charged at the cat, and it ran off. Then she carried our son back down the hill and got him to the hospital quickly. He was taken to Kaiser and then Stanford Pediatric Trauma, one of the best children’s hospitals in the country."
Jay said Jack "is now recovering at home and is going to be okay once his injuries heal," adding, "he’s a very resilient kid, and I am hoping he will bounce back quickly. When he recounted the story to me, he said, 'Dad, a mountain lion tackled me!'”