Cougar kills U.S. mountain biker, mauls another, later shot

This took place near North Bend, WA, less than an hour drive from downtown Seattle (if you are lucky to avoid getting snarled in traffic). Washington is a beautiful place to live, and many residents (including myself) enjoy escaping the concrete jungle to spend time exploring forests trails, mountain passes, placid lakes, and chilly rivers. Mountain biking has become increasingly popular, but I suspect the idea of being attacked by a wild cat doesn't cross most riders' minds when they cruise along wilderness trails. Attacks such as these are extremely rare, and when they do occur, the victims are usually children. I wonder if the survivor is a cat or dog person? It must have been terrifying!
REUTERS SOURCE ARTICLE

A mountain lion killed one mountain biker and mauled another in Washington state on Saturday when they rode into its territory, and authorities later shot the animal dead, police said. The mountain bikers were riding together down a remote, backwoods trail at 11 a.m. (2 p.m. ET) in an area near North Bend, Washington state, around 30 miles (48 km) east of Seattle, when the two men encountered the animal. In the ensuing attack, the first rider received deep scratches and the other was dragged away by the cougar to its den, King County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sergeant Ryan Abbot said. The 31-year-old survivor rode two miles out of the area and called 911. Police drove up the trail, found the victim’s bike and went into the woods where they came across the cougar standing over the victim’s body, Abbott said. “He or she, I don’t know if the cougar was a male or female, had the body of the victim down in his den,” said Ryan.

A deputy took a shot at the animal, sending it fleeing into the woods. Officers of the Washington Department of Fish and Game tracked the cat with dogs and killed it, Abbott said. The survivor was taken to hospital in Seattle with serious but none-life-threatening injuries, he said. Fatal cougar attacks are extremely rare in North America, with only about two dozen recorded in the last 100 years, most of them involving children. It was only the second deadly attack by a mountain lion in Washington State in the last 100 years, Abbott said. Cougars are the fourth largest cat species worldwide, with adult females weighing up to 141 pounds (64 kgs) and males weighing as much as 220 pounds (100 kgs). They attack prey by ambush and usually attack humans only if cornered.

a reply to: seattlerat

Lol, you put this in the Pets forum.

This is a sad story, for both the human and cat. I wonder why the cat attacked in the first place.

originally posted by: Swills
I wonder why the cat attacked in the first place.

You never sampled the long pork I take it?

originally posted by: seattlerat

I wonder if the survivor is a cat or dog person? It must have been terrifying!

My sister lives in the country- about 5 miles outside of a town 40 miles north of Tulsa, and her neighbor last week went into her backyard to find a huge mountain lion (I don't know the difference between mountain lions and cougas, etc. or if they're the same thing, but she called it a mountain lion though there are no mountains in Oklahoma) draped across a pile of firewood. She said it was huge and didn't leave when it saw her. Neighbors have seen it during the day.

Makes me afraid for my sister's (and others') dog, who is often kept in a pen outside that the cat could easily climb into.

A mountain lion killed one mountain biker and mauled another in Washington state on Saturday when they rode into ITS territory

So the natural thing to do was hunt it down and kill it.
smh. f***ing humans.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Sounds dirty, I'll pass.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Swills
I wonder why the cat attacked in the first place.

You never sampled the long pork I take it?

Most people don't have rituals on ley lines where they sacrifice innocent people to consume their flesh, Mr. Mason.

It is unfortunate that both the rider and the cat were killed in this scenario.

a reply to: seattlerat

May the force be with the deceased, however that poor puddytat must have been desperate for food, if not it does raise some questions.

Were the animals they prayed on hunted into scarcity by humans stealing their prey? were they rabid? My initial thought was the former-there is a theory that predatory animals target the young because their parents can reproduce and provide more sustenance. So maybe the local food source has diminished due to hunting, and desperate times call for desperate measures.

a reply to: seattlerat

Article didn't say if the cougar ate the person in the den.

I wonder if he ate him?

a reply to: nOraKat

I bet it was a female. Dragging food into a den like that.

You have to be more careful on a bike than hiking.

The cat is just like a house cat in that it's prey drive just clicks when it sees fast movement.

They sit in trees along paths and leap down onto deer running past. You need bells or other noise makers if you go into places with mountain lions and bears, so they know you are not a deer, or otherwise.

Zipping past at deer speed is a bad idea.

I'm 100% behind killing animals that start to eat humans.

Attacking 2 large adults like that is uncommon, I bet it was feeding cubs.

originally posted by: DAVID64

A mountain lion killed one mountain biker and mauled another in Washington state on Saturday when they rode into ITS territory

So the natural thing to do was hunt it down and kill it. smh. f***ing humans.

This happened on a well-established trail wide enough for a car frequented by humans. It was not in some obscure place nor exclusively the cougar's private territory. But yeah, now that the cougar has tasted human, why kill him? Wait for him to kill a few children first. After all, we're over-populated.

No, the cougar did not "eat" him in his den. He was found chewing on him on the road where it happened.

A cougar is the same as a mountain lion is the same as a puma.

a reply to: schuyler

Wait what?

The article said he was dragged into the den.

Police drove up the trail, found the victim’s bike and went into the woods where they came across the cougar standing over the victim’s body, Abbott said. “He or she, I don’t know if the cougar was a male or female, had the body of the victim down in his den,” said Ryan.

I didn't check the link, are they saying something different?

Damn, America really is a dangerous place, yeah?

Even if you get out of the cities where you could become a victim to gang violence or a mass shooting... Then you still gotta worry about becoming the lunch of a bear, wolf or a bloody cougar!

No wonder you guys are always on edge.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: schuyler

Wait what?

The article said he was dragged into the den.

Police drove up the trail, found the victim’s bike and went into the woods where they came across the cougar standing over the victim’s body, Abbott said. “He or she, I don’t know if the cougar was a male or female, had the body of the victim down in his den,” said Ryan.

I didn't check the link, are they saying something different?

Yes.

Law enforcement rushed to the area near Lake Hancock Road and Tolt Reservoir Road and found the cougar standing over the other man's body. Officials say they shot at it and it ran away.

KOMO News

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Aussies have been putting up with the latter for years and it barely makes the news ;p

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: seattlerat

Lol, you put this in the Pets forum.

This is a sad story, for both the human and cat. I wonder why the cat attacked in the first place.

I put this in the "pets" forum in order to save the mods the hassle of moving it. Every time I post something animal related it gets moved to "pets". It would be great if we could have a separate forum for "animal related issues".

Wife and I were talking about this as we went to Bend, Oregon for vacation a few years ago. Apparently, this North Bend, WA isn't in the same area. Anyway, we went hiking and took a picture of a sign warning about mountain lions in the area as a memento since we are city folks.

It is crazy how we forget out in the wilderness, we aren't exactly the top of the food chain all the time.

I saw a full grown bobcat while driving around Carmel Valley, CA. Sucker just ran across the road in front of me.

a reply to: seattlerat

Very interesting that you posted this. In our area (the midwest) We have been having cougar sighting for years. Reports were sent to the DNR and they denied them all, over and over. It was quite odd.

Now people have amazing cameras and proof that they are indeed cougars and are everywhere. Some of the locals think they have been planted, the cougars that is. Some say they have been here all along. Whatever it is, something is driving these animals further south. There were weekly sightings, and some in very residential almost city type areas.

right next my bigfoot location.....to the south is my spot I complain about not going back without 6 people....6 mikes south of north bend