Harrison Mills – MAY 5 UPDATE – Conversation Officer Service posted to social media on Wednesday that two cougars, related to the Tuesday attack near Weaver Creek, were tracked down and put down.
From the Facebook page Conservation Officer Service:
The BCCOS Predator Attack Team continues their investigation into the incident where a woman was seriously injured by a cougar attack.The investigation has determined the attack was predatory in nature and unprovoked.A thorough search in the area was conducted by the COS and only two cougars were located.With the aid of the COS K-9 unit, the PAT specialists located and killed two cougars within 60 feet of the attack site. The two cougars were identified as healthy sub-adult males.We understand people are passionate about wildlife, but the priority of the COS is to ensure public safety, which must come first. Relocation/Translocation was not an option for these two animals, as the risk to the public is simply far too great.The PAT specialists are confident they have identified and killed the cougar that attempted to predate on the victim.The victim in this incident remains in stable condition in hospital, the COS continues to work with her, and we wish her the best in her recovery.Cougars are elusive animals and attacks on people are extremely rare. Physical contact between humans and wildlife is very rare; predatory attacks are even rarer yet. The public should always educate themselves on what wildlife is in their area and what precautions they need to take if they encounter wildlife.
MAY 4 ORIGINAL STORY – Conversation Officer Service confirmed a Tuesday morning cougar attack. From Their Facebook page:
The Conservation Officer Service Predator Attack Team is responding to a cougar attack in the Harrison Mills area, west of Agassiz.An adult woman was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after she was attacked by a cougar at her remote property this morning.#RCMP and #BCEHS also responded to the scene.
As of Tuesday afternoon she was listed in stable condition.
From the COS Facebook page:
UPDATE | The victim of a cougar attack is in stable condition after suffering injuries to her head, face and arms.The woman was in her yard at her rural property in the Harrison Mills area, when she was attacked by a cougar this morning.A man helped chase the cougar off the woman, who was airlifted to hospital, where she remains.The offending cougar has yet to be located.The Conservation Officer Service Predator Attack Team has secured the attack site and remains on scene as the investigation continues. The PAT is made up of highly-trained specialists who are working to determine the circumstances of the attack, which includes examining evidence at the scene, utilizing any forensic evidence and implementing techniques to track and identify the cougar involved in the incident.The COS is asking the public to avoid the Weaver Creek Road area at this time.While cougar attacks on people are rare, the public is encouraged to take precautions when in the wilderness. Safety tips can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/yw2cf9mhAdditional information will be released as it becomes available.
