What would you do if a cougar suddenly appeared on your property and attacked one of your family members?
Travis Nielson of Vancouver Island found himself in an unimaginable situation while sitting on his deck with his wife and daughter earlier this week. According to Nielsen, a young cougar came out of nowhere and pounced on his two-year-old from behind, and wrapped its jaw around the head of the toddler, Brie.
Without thinking twice, Nielsen punched the cougar in his face, and quickly jumped in front of his daughter. He then yelled at the cat continuously until it slowly backed away and took off.
The young girl was immediately taken to the hospital and was treated for a laceration around her earlobe. Fortunately, Brie only suffered non-threatening bite marks and a few scratches on her back and chest.
When describing the cougar, Nielsen explained that the cat wasn’t large, but was definitely bigger than his daughter. It was also the first cougar he’s ever seen while living on the Island in a remote community known as Tahsis.
A Conservation Service Officer responding to the scene was able to quickly locate a cougar in the area, and put it down. It hasn’t been confirmed however if the cougar taken down was the same one who attacked the two-year-old, but chances are it likely was given the low amount of sightings in the community.
Image via Cloudtail
