A four-year-old child was bitten by a collared mountain lion in Olympic National Park on Sunday. The attack happened as the child was walking with their family on a popular trail near the Victoria Overlook area on Hurricane Ridge, according to park officials.
Rangers were notified of the attack around 3:15 p.m. on July 20. Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue (Clallam County Fire District 2) paramedics and park staff responded and transferred the victim via LifeFlight to a Level 1 Trauma Center. The patient is undergoing treatment for their injuries in a Seattle hospital. To protect their privacy, the park is not releasing identifying details at this time.
Rangers began searching for the cougar immediately following the incident. A canine team joined the search at approximately 5 p.m. the same day. Rangers located the cougar shortly after the canine team joined the effort and completed the euthanization operation the following morning.
This incident is under investigation, according to the park service. No additional information or photos are available at this time.
Cougar safety
If you see a cougar, you are one of the few to have seen this elusive creature. Do not approach, but face the animal, speak firmly, wave your arms and back away. Cougars, also called mountain lions or pumas, range throughout the Olympics. Seldom seen, cougars are large animals, often over 100 pounds, with long rope-like tails. They are usually reddish-tan to gray-brown with black markings on the face and tail tip.
Report all cougar sightings to a ranger or submit an online wildlife report.
Safety:
- Keep your kids between adults and don’t let them run ahead
- Keep your pets on leash and don’t let them run ahead
- Stay aware of your surroundings
If you see a cougar:
- Do not approach.
- Stop, stay calm, and do not turn your back. Do not run.
- Face the animal, stand upright, talk calmly and firmly to the cougar, and give it a way to escape if you can.
- Do all you can to appear larger. For example, open your jacket and raise or wave your arms.
- Pick up small children or pets immediately so they won’t panic, flee, or make rapid movements.
- If the cougar becomes more aggressive, become more aggressive toward it. Convince the animal that you are not prey, but a danger to it.
- Fight back if attacked.
