Child survives "extraordinarily rare" cougar attack in Washington
An eight-year-old child was transported to hospital over the weekend after they were attacked by a cougar in a Washington park.
The child and their family were camping near Lake Angeles when it attacked the child, according to the National Park Service.
Olympic National Park was notified of the incident around 6:30 pm Saturday.
Thanks to the child’s mom, she yelled and screamed at the cougar, causing it to casually abandon its attack.
“Park personnel quickly responded, and once the child’s medical condition was assessed and stabilized, the family was escorted back to the trailhead by park personnel,” the statement from the park service reads.
“The child survived the attack with minor injuries and was taken to the local hospital for further evaluation.”
Lake Angeles and Heather Park areas were closed to the public, and campers in the area were told to evacuate the area.
“Due to the extreme nature of this incident, we are closing the Lake Angeles area and several trails in the vicinity,” said Olympic National Park Wildlife Biologist Tom Kay. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Lake Angeles Trail, Heather Park Trail, Switchback Trail, and the entire Klahhane Ridge Trail are closed until further notice.”
National Park Service
Early Sunday morning, park law enforcement and wildlife personnel that are specialized in cougar tracking were dispatched to the Lake Angeles area where the cougars were last known to be.
If the cougar is located, the park service said it will be euthanized and removed from the park for a necropsy.
“This may provide clues as to why the animal attacked since cougars are rarely seen, and attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare,” the park service explained. “Olympic National Park has extensive protocols in place for wildlife observations, interactions, and attacks, and the lethal removal of this cougar is in line with these protocols.”
Olympic National Park is considered cougar territory, so visitors are encouraged to be prepared for a cougar encounter.
“It is recommended that visitors not hike or jog alone and to keep children within sight and close to adults. Leave pets at home and be alert to your surroundings when hiking,” the park service advises.
“If you meet a cougar, it is important to not run because it could trigger the cougar’s attack instinct. Instead, people should group together, appear as large as possible, keep eyes on the animal, make lots of noise and shout loudly. Throwing rocks or objects at the cougar is also recommended.”
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