An 8-year-old child suffered a cougar attack on Saturday, resulting in the closure of Lake Angeles and Heather Park in Washington’s Olympic National Park until further notice.
The National Park Service (NPS) branch in Olympia received a distress call at 6:30 p.m. local time, reporting the cougar attack on the child while camping at Lake Angeles. The child’s mother bravely intervened, causing the cougar to abandon its assault, as stated by the NPS.
Park officials promptly responded to the scene, ensuring the child’s medical condition was stable, and then escorted the family back to the trailhead area. Fortunately, the child’s injuries were minor, but the 8-year-old was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Following the incident, all campers at Lake Angeles were evacuated, and certain areas of Olympic National Park were closed to the public as a precautionary measure.
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Olympic National Park Wildlife Biologist, Tom Kay, remarked, “Due to the extreme nature of this incident, we are closing the Lake Angeles area and several trails in the vicinity. 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.”
Visitors to the park are advised to be prepared for any encounter and avoid hiking or jogging alone. Authorities stress the importance of keeping children close to adults and within sight. Additionally, it is recommended to leave pets at home when visiting the park.
In case of an encounter with a cougar, the NPS advises against running, as it may trigger the cougar’s attack instinct. Instead, individuals should stay together, attempt to appear large and intimidating, create noise, and throw rocks or objects to deter the cougar.
This story was first published at abcNEWS
