Two Cougar Attacks in One Week

Over a one week period there were two cougar attacks, one involving a hiker in Banff National Park, and one involving mountain bikers in King Country, Washington.

Parks Canada announced that a person received non-critical injuries following a cougar attack on a trail to Rockbound Lake near Castle Mountain about 20 minutes west of the town of Banff.  “On arrival, our paramedics took care of one adult patient who had been in care of Parks Canada officials prior to their arrival,” Alberta Health Services public education officer Stuart Brideaux said. “In this case, fortunately, the patient sustained relatively minor soft tissue injuries in the incident and they were transported to the Canmore hospital in stable and calm condition.” The area was later closed.

In Washington, at least one cougar stalked and then attacked a group of five mountain bikers on a trail along Tokul Creek, around 10 kilometres north of Snowqualmie, injuring one person. “One biker (reportedly a 60-year-old female) received either claw or bite injuries from one of the cats during this incident,” a statement from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said. “The injured woman was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.”

Around 130 attacks, 27 of which were fatal (seven in Canada), have been documented in North America in the past 100 years. Fatal cougar attacks are rare and occur much less frequently than fatal bee stings, snake bites and even fatal lightning strikes.

🐾🐱 Cougars are active all winter and can pose risks for people and pets. Travel in groups and leash pets.

If you spot a cougar:

➡️ Stay away.
➡️ Face it, step back – no running!
➡️ Look big.

See one? Call Banff Park Dispatch at (403) 762-1470. pic.twitter.com/NXR0qKT8qc

— Banff National Park, Parks Canada (@BanffNP) January 29, 2024