SEATTLE — A 9-year-old Stevens County girl hospitalized Saturday after being attacked by a cougar is in stable condition, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Her mother said her recovery so far has been “amazing.”
Lily A. Kryzhanivskyy was playing hide-and-seek with two friends in the woods in Fruitland, Stevens County, where she had been attending camp. When she jumped out to surprise her friends, the cougar attacked suddenly, WDFW said in a statement.
She was released from the intensive-care unit on Monday.
Her mother asked WDFW staff to share that Lily wants people to know she was “very brave and tough” in the face of the attack, the statement said.
“We are extremely thankful for this little girl’s resiliency and we’re impressed with her spunk, in the face of this unfortunate encounter,” said Captain Mike Sprecher of the WDFW Police. “It happened fast and we are thankful that the adults at the camp responded so quickly.”
WDFW said the young male cougar was killed at the scene and tests showed the animal did not have rabies.
Cougar attacks are very rare, with only 20 in Washington resulting in injuries to humans in the past century, according to the department. There have been two fatal attacks on humans in Washington state.
Cougars, also called pumas and mountain lions, are solitary and secretive animals that usually avoid humans.
If you do encounter a cougar, never turn and run, as that can trigger a chase response, WDFW said. The department instead says to make eye contact with the cougar and back away slowly. If the animal approaches you, try to look as big as possible by standing on a rock and putting your hands above your head. Be assertive and yell, throw rocks or other items at it, the department said. If it attacks, fight back. Don’t play dead with cougars.
More information about cougar safety and what you should do if you encounter one is available at st.news/cougars. WDFW advises that people hiking and recreating in the backcountry should carry bear spray as a precaution. It is also effective on cougars.
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(Seattle Times reporter Lynda V. Mapes contributed to this report.)
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