List of fatal cougar attacks in North America

List of Fatal Cougar Attacks in North America

The List of Fatal Cougar Attacks in North America includes incidents involving cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, that have resulted in human fatalities. Cougars are large, powerful predators native to the Americas, and while they generally avoid human contact, there have been rare instances where cougars have attacked people. This article documents notable cases of fatal cougar attacks that have occurred in North America.

Overview

Cougars (Puma concolor) are one of North America's most elusive and enigmatic predators. Despite their wide range, which covers from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America, cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare. However, when they do occur, they can result in serious injuries or death. The majority of these attacks have happened in the western United States and Canada, where cougar populations are more prevalent.

Documented Fatal Attacks

20th Century

• 1910s - The first recorded cougar attack in North America occurred in 1910, in British Columbia, Canada. A male cougar attacked and killed a child near the town of Logan Lake.
• 1990s - In 1991, a cougar attacked two children in California's Orange County, resulting in one fatality. This incident marked the first cougar-caused fatality in California in over 70 years.

21st Century

• 2004 - In New Mexico, a cougar attacked and killed a 35-year-old man in the Gila National Forest. This was the first recorded fatal cougar attack in New Mexico's history.
• 2018 - Two cyclists were attacked by a cougar in Washington State's Cascade Mountain Range, resulting in one fatality. This was the first fatal cougar attack in Washington State in nearly a century.

Prevention and Safety Tips

While cougar attacks are rare, there are several precautions that people can take to reduce the risk of encountering a cougar in the wild:

• Hike in groups and make noise to avoid surprising a cougar.
• Keep children close and within sight at all times.
• Do not approach or feed wildlife, as this can encourage cougars and other predators to approach human areas.
• If you encounter a cougar, do not run. Try to appear larger, make noise, and slowly back away.

Conservation Status

Cougars are currently listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but their populations in North America face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. Conservation efforts are focused on preserving cougar habitat and promoting coexistence between cougars and humans.

See Also

• Wildlife attacks
• Conservation in North America
• Human–wildlife conflict

This animal attack related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.