A woman sustained facial and neck injuries when a cougar pounced on her while she was cycling with a group on a trail in Washington state, according to authorities.
The incident occurred on Saturday on a trail northeast of Fall City, located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Seattle, as reported by KOMO-TV. The woman, aged 60, was riding with friends when the cougar suddenly attacked her. Fortunately, her companions managed to detach the animal and fend it off until help arrived, stated Sgt. Carlo Pace of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police.
"They were able to subdue the cougar, which was quite sizable, using a mountain bike until we reached the scene," Sgt. Pace remarked.
Following the encounter, the injured woman was treated at a hospital and later discharged.
The wildlife agency described the cougar as a young male weighing approximately 75 pounds (34 kilograms). Wildlife authorities euthanized the animal after it was shot.
Although witnesses reported seeing a second cougar in the vicinity, wildlife officials were unable to locate it during their search.
The department emphasized that cougar attacks on humans are infrequent occurrences.
In a separate incident last July, an 8-year-old child sustained minor injuries in a cougar encounter while on a camping trip in Olympic National Park, Washington.
