PORT ANGELES, Wash. — A child is recovering after they were attacked by a mountain lion near Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park.
The incident happened on July 20 near the Victoria Outlook around 3:15 p.m.
According to initial reports, a collared mountain lion bit a child walking with their family on a popular trail.
Steve Murrow says he was with family when they were hiking on Hurricane Trail the same day the attack happened. He says they didn’t see the attack, but heard screaming when they were approaching the area.
“We heard like screaming of a small child,” Murrow said.
Murrow and his father-in-law, Mike Flenniken, spoke with KIRO 7 about the aftermath of the attack. They claim they walked up and saw the mother holding the child and a group of people comforting the family.
“There was a group of people walking briskly by. We think it was the mom holding the child. The kid was crying still. Wasn’t screaming, but sobbing. There was a woman next to them leaning on the mom’s back saying ‘you’re doing good. You’re doing good,’” Murrow said. “And then there was another group of people behind them and they were all huddled up and like ‘you guys need to be careful. There was literally just a cougar or a wolf attack.’”
Murrow and Flenniken say witnesses told them the father was able to get his child away from the cougar. Both believe his actions saved the child’s life.
“I don’t think that kid would survive if it wasn’t for his dad jumping in,” Murrow said. “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.”
The child was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center, where they were treated for their injuries.
The hospital said the child was in satisfactory condition. They have since been released.
Rangers began searching for the cougar immediately following the incident. A canine team joined the search at approximately 5 p.m. the same day.
The cougar was found shortly after the canines joined, but rangers were not able to humanely kill the animal until the following morning.
There are no current threats to the public.
If you witnessed the event, call rangers at 888-653-0009 or email nps_isb@nps.gov.
If you see a cougar:
- Do not approach.
- Stop, stay calm and do not turn your back. Do not run.
- Face the animal, stand upright, talk calmly and firmly to the cougar and give it a way to escape if you can.
- Do all you can to appear larger. For example, open your jacket and raise or wave your arms.
- Pick up small children or pets immediately so they won’t panic, flee, or make rapid movements.
- If the cougar becomes more aggressive, become more aggressive toward it. Convince the animal that you are not prey, but a danger to it.
- Fight back if attacked.
Cougars prefer habitats with dense underbrush and clear rocky areas for stalking. Cougars of Olympic National Park tend to live in the mountains and forests.
“The cougar is a very territorial animal and persists at low population densities. Though the cougar population is uncertain, there is definite evidence of their existence. Territorial scratch mounds and tracks can be found on the backcountry trails throughout the park,” the National Park Service wrote.
©2025 Cox Media Group
