The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is investigating after a mountain lion attacked a woman. Officials say the attack was this past Saturday, February 17. Wild officials have since euthanized one cougar. Wildlife officials say there are reports of a second mountain lion, but they found no additional animals.
Witnesses say five cyclists rode on a road near Fall City, Washington, in King County. That area is not far from Seattle. Suddenly, a cougar attacked one of the riders.
In a press release, officials say a woman had injuries to her neck and face. They say she’s in stable condition. Witnesses managed to provide aid, with a wildlife official arriving shortly after.
“We are thankful that the victim is stable after the incident this weekend,” said Lieutenant Erik Olson with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The people on scene took immediate action to render aid, and one of our officers was able to arrive within minutes to continue medical aid and coordinate transport. We may have had a very different outcome without their heroic efforts.”
WDFW tracked down a 75-pound mountain lion and euthanized the animal. They say they’ll release more information on the animal’s age and condition after examination. They’re also testing for possible diseases.
Witnesses say they spotted a second mountain lion at the scene, but WDFW could not track down a second cougar.
The agency says there are estimated to be around 3,600 mountain lions in Washington State, so the elusive animal isn’t that rare. However, it is less common to hear about cougar attacks. A recent exception happened just last year when a mountain lion attacked an eight-year-old child at Washington’s Olympic National Park.
Find out what to do if you come face-to-face with a mountain lion in the woods.