By Pepper Fisher
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK – A cougar was spotted along the High Ridge Trail in the Hurricane Ridge area Friday morning, and that trail has been closed until further notice.
Park spokesman Amos Almy confirmed the sighting, saying the sighting was near the top of the intermediate slope of the ski area.
Almy said a wildlife biologist and a law enforcement ranger responded but did not locate the cougar. The wildlife biologist will remain in the area Friday in case there is another sighting.
This comes just weeks after an 8-year-old child was attacked by a cougar while camping at Lake Angeles on Saturday, July 29. The cougar abandoned its attack after being yelled at by the child’s mother.
The child survived the attack with minor injuries.
The Lake Angeles/Heather Park Loop remains closed following that incident. Almy says game cameras checked daily have confirmed there is at least one cougar still in that area, but he says by the time the cameras were checked, it was too late to bring in a hound team, because the dogs have to be on the trail within six hours of a sighting.
(Photo: Hiker Bruce Knight stands at closed trail)