A man in northern British Columbia fought off a cougar attack by punching the animal in the face last Saturday. The attack happened around 11 am near Lake Kathlyn, close to Smithers. The man was working when the cougar came up to him and scratched his upper body with its claws. He punched the cougar in the face, and the animal backed off and left. The man had minor injuries but didn’t need to go to the hospital. Conservation officers set a trap in the area and looked around but couldn’t find the cougar.
They’re still watching the area in case they need to respond again. WildSafeBC, a wildlife safety group, says cougars cause about 2,500 calls to conservation officers each year, but they rarely attack people. If someone meets a cougar, experts say to stay calm, make yourself look big, back away slowly, and never run. If a cougar attacks, always fight back and never play dead.
Source: CBC
