Cougar Attacks 9-Year-Old In Washington: 'Nothing She Could Have Done To Prevent It'

FRUITLAND, WA — A cougar attacked a 9-year-old girl who was attending a camp over the weekend in northeast Washington.

Lily Kryzhanivskyy, of Stevens County, was playing hide-and-seek in the woods with other children near camp buildings around 11 a.m. Saturday in Fruitland, about 45 miles northwest of Spokane, Staci Lehman, spokeswoman for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said in a news release obtained by Patch. Lily jumped out to surprise her friends, and a young, male cougar attacked.

The girl fought the cougar as her friends ran, according to The Associated Press. Adults ran to help and found her covered in blood.

Lily was flown to a hospital and underwent surgery for multiple wounds to her head and upper body. She was released from the intensive care unit on Monday and was in stable condition.

Her mother described her recovery so far as “amazing,” and asked fish and wildlife staff to share that she wants people to know she was “very brave and tough” in the face of the attack.

“We are extremely thankful for this little girl’s resiliency and we're impressed with her spunk, in the face of this unfortunate encounter,” Capt. Mike Sprecher of the fish and wildlife police said in a statement. “It happened fast and we are thankful that the adults at the camp responded so quickly.”

The animal was killed at the scene. Tests showed the animal did not have rabies.

“In this instance, this little girl did nothing wrong,” Lehman said. “It happened so quickly, and there’s nothing she could have done to prevent it.”

She said their "primary thoughts are with the girl and the family," according to The Seattle Times.

Warning: Graphic photo below.

Cougar attacks are very rare: There have been 20 documented attacks and two deaths recorded in the state over the last 100 years. The last recorded attack happened four years ago.

“Wild animals don’t care to be around humans any more than we want to have close encounters with them,” Sprecher said.

Those who encounter a cougar should face the animal, talk to it firmly while slowly backing away, and "get big."

"If the cougar does not flee, be more assertive. If it shows signs of aggression (crouches with ears back, teeth bared, hissing, tail twitching, and hind feet pumping in preparation to jump), shout, wave your arms and throw anything you have available (water bottle, book, backpack). The idea is to convince the cougar that you are not prey, but a potential danger," the state wildlife department said.

Cougars are "solitary and secretive animals rarely seen in the wild," the fish and wildlife department said on its website. Also known as mountain lions or pumas, cougars are known for their strength, agility and jumping ability.

Adult males average about 140 pounds and measure up to 8 feet in length from nose to the tip of the tail. They're found throughout Washington where they have suitable cover and prey, and often use steep canyons, rock outcroppings and boulders, or vegetation — such as dense brush and forests — to remain hidden while hunting.

Cougars are most active from dusk to dawn, but they will hunt during the day, feeding on deer, elk, moose, mountain goats and wild sheep. Younger cougars will hunt raccoons, coyotes, rabbits, hares, small rodents and occasionally pets and livestock such as goats, sheep and chickens.