A 9-year-old girl survived a rare cougar attack while hiking on a trail in northeastern Washington state while camping with two friends.
The incident occurred Saturday morning near Fruitland, a mountainous area 70 miles east of Spokane.
The girl defended herself while her friends ran to save themselves from her.
A group of adults rushed to help and rescued the child covered in blood.
The girl was flown to a hospital by helicopter, the uncle described on a fundraising page, and is recovering after undergoing surgery for multiple head and upper body injuries.
Image of a cougarGetty Images
“Her condition has stabilized but she remains intubated.
We are praying to God that he recovers quickly and everything goes well in this difficult time they are going through, "the relative wrote on the website.
While tending to the child, other adults found the young male puma and killed it.
[Agatha pummels southern Mexico and may become Tropical Storm Alex in the Atlantic and head toward the US]
Staci Lehman, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, explained that cougar attacks are rare, with only two deaths recorded in the last century in Washington.
"In this case, this girl did nothing wrong," he said, "it happened so quickly, there is nothing she could have done to prevent it."
Planet Earth: Vital coral reefs pay the consequences of global warming
May 11, 202200:43
Whoever confronts a cougar should yell at the animal and try to appear larger than it is, he recommended.
If attacked, "counter attack as hard as you can and try to stay on your feet."
“Don't turn around.
Do not take your eyes off the animal.
Don't run,” he added.
Cougars live throughout the state, and are the largest cat species in the region: males can weigh up to 180 pounds.
