On Sunday afternoon, a mountain lion mauled a four-year-old boy. The fatal wildlife strike incident on Olympic National Park’s Hurricane Ridge road in the state of Washington. The incident occurred around 3:15 PM near Victoria Overlook, a popular scenic lookout. Thank goodness the child’s dad was heroic, yanking his boy from the teeth of the great cat. Park rangers hunted the lion down and euthanized it early the next morning.
The mountain lion involved in this rare attack was wearing a GPS collar, which enabled rangers to locate it quickly. Mountain lion attacks on humans in North America are extremely unusual. As the Mountain Lion Foundation explains, there has been an average of less than one fatal attack per year since 1868. In Washington state, attacks by mountain lions led to just two deaths in the last hundred years. Plus, another 20 reported incidents have injured the traveling public.
After the attack, the child was airlifted to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. Thankfully, his status was listed as stable, allowing him to be released from the establishment. Local resident Steve Murrow, who saw the tragedy happen unfold, noted that without the father’s swift action, it could have ended much differently.
“I don’t think that kid would survive if it wasn’t for his dad jumping in.” – Steve Murrow
Murrow further praised the father’s bravery, stating, “I mean, he’s a hero. You know, it just boils down to safety in numbers and it is rare that something like this would happen.”
Last March, a group of professional women bikers endured an alarming mountain lion ambush on their ride in Washington. This episode follows closely on the heels of that troubling event. Such attacks are highly unusual, underscoring the remarkable nature of what occurred Sunday. Park officials are currently working to monitor wildlife activity around the area.