According to officials from Washington’s Olympic National Park, an 8-year-old was attacked by a mountain lion over the weekend.

The 8-year-old was camping with their family in the area of Lake Angeles on Saturday when the attack occurred at about 6:30 p.m. Thankfully, the woman’s mother was nearby and the cougar abandoned its attack when the mother started yelling and screaming.

The child escaped the attack with only minor injuries thanks to the mother’s quick action.

Remaining campers in the Lake Angeles area were evacuated, with the area closed to the public until further notice out of abundance of caution. The nearby Heather Park area was also closed.

The day after the attack, law enforcement and wildlife personnel started a search for the aggressive cat, with plans to euthanize the cat if it is located. Officials hope a necropsy may reveal clues related to why the attack occurred, with attacks of this nature being extremely rare.

Sometimes animals that are malnourished, hurt, or rabid can be more brazen compared to their healthy peers.

Mountain lions are known to be present in Olympic National Park, with the entire park considered ‘cougar territory.’ The national park urged visitors to be prepared for a cougar encounter, recommending against jogging and hiking alone. Officials also urged parents to keep small children close.

Children can be particularly at-risk of a cougar attack, as their smaller size makes them more feasible prey. Never let a child run ahead on a trail and always keep them in sight while in cougar country. Pets are also likely targets.

Anyone who happens to encounter a cougar – whether it’s in Washington, Colorado, or elsewhere – should know that running can trigger a chase and attack response. Instead of running, try to appear as large as possible and keep your eyes on the animal while slowly retreating. Making lots of noise and shouting can help to scare the cougar away, as well as throwing rocks and objects in the direction of the cat. It’s worth noting that crouching down to pick up an item to throw can also trigger an attack, so this should be avoided.

While mountain lions, also known as cougars, tend to avoid humans, they’re still not uncommon to see in Colorado. Most natural spaces in the Centennial State have mountain lions roaming nearby.

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