 An eight-year-old boy was left with only minor injuries after being attacked by a cougar at a Washington state park. The youngster was jumped on Saturday morning while camping at Lake Angeles in Olympic National Park, part officials said. The cougar 'casually abandoned its attack' after the boy's mother screamed at it to stop, the National Park Service said on Sunday. Park personnel found the child had survived the episode with minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital. All other campers were evacuated and the area was shut 'due to the extreme nature of this incident', said Olympic National Park wildlife biologist, Tom Kay. 'Out of an abundance of caution, the Lake Angeles Trail, Heather Park Trail, Switchback Trail and the entire Klahhane Ridge Trail are closed until further notice.' The Olympic National Park has been closed since the incident (Picture: Getty Images North America) Officers and park officials ventured into Lake Angeles at 5am Sunday to catch the cougar, known to be found in forested regions of Washington. As part of the Olympic National Park's protocol, the feline predator will be euthanised and taken out of the park for an autopsy if found. 'This may provide clues as to why the animal attacked since cougars are rarely seen and attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare,' the National Park Service said. The agency added that the park is considered cougar territory, though the 'shy and elusive' animals are rarely seen, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says. 'Cougar attacks on people are extremely rare. A person is 1,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a cougar,' the department adds. The first fatal cougar attack on a human was reported in 1924 and state authorities have seen 21 since that resulted in injury and one fatality in 2018. The family were camping by Lake Angeles (Picture: Getty Images) Olympic National Par){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
An eight-year-old boy was left with only minor injuries after being attacked by a cougar at a Washington state park.
The youngster was jumped on Saturday morning while camping at Lake Angeles in Olympic National Park, part officials said.
The cougar ‘casually abandoned its attack’ after the boy’s mother screamed at it to stop, the National Park Service said on Sunday.
Park personnel found the child had survived the episode with minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.