Boy mauled by a cougar on Vancouver Island
Posted August 16, 2012 8:51 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PORT ALBERNI (NEWS1130) – There’s been a cougar attack on Vancouver Island.
“We received a complaint at about 8:24 last night of a cougar attack that occurred on Sproat Lake, where a seven-year-old boy was mauled,” explains Constable Tracey Corner with the Port Alberni RCMP.
“He sustained significant injuries to his head and shoulder, and was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment of those injuries,” she explains.
It’s unclear how the boy is doing today.
“They were camping on… the east end of the lake. Right now, we don’t have a lot of information of where exactly it was,” says Corner, adding it’s not clear what happened leading up to the attack.
The boy’s father was able to chase the cat away and Conservation Officer Chris Doyle says it’s since been shot and killed. “Conservation officers attended the site this morning with tracking dogs. A cougar was located this morning near the attack site.”
Cougars can be found all over Vancouver Island. While attacks are rare, there was a notable one this time last year involving an 18-month old boy near Ucluelet. Thankfully, he recovered.
A seven-year-old dog was killed by cougar two months ago at Black Creek, near Campbell River.
