A cougar has been euthanized after it attacked a child early Sunday morning near Rocky Mountain House.
The attack took place in the Baptiste River Sunday morning, and by afternoon, Fish and Wildlife officers captured and euthanized the cougar, according to a statement Tuesday from Fish and Wildlife Services Inspector Rob Kohut .
A forensics team collected animal DNA from the attack area and confirmed that the captured female cougar was responsible for the attack, Kohut said.
An area closure that extended along the river and into the North Saskatchewan River was lifted Tuesday morning.
Read more: Cougar euthanized in Lethbridge
The seven-year-old boy who was attacked spent three and a half hours in surgery and received “over 200 surgical staples and forceps, and many more stitches in his face, neck and head,” wrote the his mother, Chay. Feuser on Facebook. “It’s a miracle. No major arteries were hit, no lungs were punctured, his skull is intact. He suffers from a fractured jaw and serious cosmetic injuries.”
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Their son was released from the hospital on Tuesday and the family arrived home safely. Although encounters with cougars are rare, they do happen. Kohut advised that people travel in groups and bring some form of protection, such as bear spray. Don’t run or turn your back; instead, walk slowly and keep facing the animal.
“Look big and speak up. If the cougar makes contact, fight and don’t give up. Use every means at your disposal,” Kohut said in the statement.
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