A rare mountain lion attack occurred on July 20 at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, located in Clallam County. A four-year-old boy was injured while walking with his family near the Victoria Overlook area. The attack took place around 3:15 p.m. on a popular hiking trail. Witnesses say the child’s father jumped in and got the boy away from the attacking mountain lion, saving his son’s life.
Emergency responders from Clallam Second District Fire-Rescue and park personnel arrived on the scene quickly. The child was transported by LifeFlight to Harborview Medical Center. To protect the family’s privacy, no identifying information has been released. The boy has survived his injuries and is out of the hospital at this time.
Following the incident, rangers immediately launched a search for the mountain lion. Luckily, the animal was chipped with a tracking device. Using its GPS data, rangers located the mountain lion that evening. The animal was humanely killed the following morning, on July 21, in the interest of public safety.
Mountain lion attacks are extremely rare in Washington State, especially in busy national parks. Officials have stated there is no ongoing threat to visitors. While the Olympic National Park remains open, visitors are encouraged to remain aware of their surroundings, stay on designated trails and follow posted wildlife safety guidelines.
If you see a mountain lion:
- Do not approach it, do not run.
- Stop, stay calm and stay facing the animal. Do not turn your back on it.
- Immediately pick up small children or pets to prevent them from panicking or fleeing.
- Stand tall, speak in a calm and firm voice and allow the mountain lion a clear escape route.
- If the mountain lion shows signs of aggression, respond assertively. Make it clear you are a threat, not prey.
- Make yourself appear larger—flap open your jacket and wave your arms.
- If the mountain lion attacks, fight back.
