Brave Mom Saves 8-Year-Old from Rare Cougar Attack at Olympic National Park

An 8-year-old child camping with their mother at Lake Angeles in Washington's Olympic National Park survived a cougar attack with minor injuries. The cougar abandoned its attack after being yelled at by the child's mother. The child was taken to the hospital for evaluation, and park staff closed the Lake Angeles area and surrounding trails. Authorities are searching for the cougar to euthanize it and perform a necropsy to determine why the attack occurred. Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare, but as Washington's human population grows, encounters with cougars may increase. Visitors are advised to avoid hiking or jogging alone and to make noise if encountering a cougar.