You might spot a mountain lion in California, but attacks like the one that killed a man are rare

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A mountain lion killed a man and seriously wounded his brother last weekend in northern California. But such attacks on humans are rare. The mauling last weekend was the first fatal encounter with a mountain lion in the state in two decades. The big cats that can weigh more than 150 pounds live in diverse habitats across the state where people live and recreate, including inland forests, coastal chaparral, foothills and mountains. Officials say that since 1890, there have been fewer than 50 confirmed attacks on people in California, and only six ended in deaths. While the prospect of attacks on people is frightening, humans kill far more cougars than the other way around.