Updated Table for Mountain Lion Attacks
in the United States and Canada

Revised by Linda Lewis from Paul Beier's 1890-1990 Research

Table 1.   Attacks by cougars on humans in the United States and Canada, 1890 - 2009

Fatal Attacks

Date and Place

Victim

Cougar

Source

Hr.a

Day

Month

Year

Vicinity

St./Pr.b
Area

Surname

Sex

Agec

Groupd

Pree

Postf

Shotg

Sexh

Agei

Cond.j

Referencesk

16

19

Jun

1890

Quartz Valley

CA

Dangle

M

  7

10.1

 

 

S

FC

 

 

Howard 1915, Storer 1923

D

6

Jul

1909

Morgan Hill

CA

Wilson
Kennedy

M
F

10
Ad

13
22

1
5

1
1

S

 

 

6

Storer 1923, Anon 1909

12

17

Dec

1924

Olema

WA

Fehlhaber

M

13

10

3

 

S

M

  3

1

Hall 1925, Finley 1925, Anon 1925

19

Jun

1949

Kyuquot

VI

Taylor

M

  7

11

 

 

S

 

 

3

T-C 06/21/1949, Prov 06/21/1949

3

Jan

1971

Lytton

BC

Wells

M

12

12

1

 

S

M

12

5

Prov 01/04/1971, VSun 01/04/1971, WB files

Fall

1972

Lillooet

BC

Unknown

M

Ch

S

 

 

 

CougAt, Calgary Herald 01/04/2001

11

20

Jan

1974

Arroyo Seco

NM

Nolan

M

  8

12.1

1

1

S

F

  3

4

Hibben 1975

15

14

Jul

1976

Gold River

VI

Samuel

F

  7

12

 

 

S

M

  2

1

VSun 07/15/1976 and 07/20/1976

16

16

May

1988

Tofino

VI

Bergman

M

  9

10.1

 

 

S

M

  4

1

T-C 05/19/1988, VSun 05/18-19/1988

16

10

Sep

1989

Evaro

MT

Gardipe/
Gardipee

M

  5

10.1

 

 

S

F

  1.5

2

Spokane Spokesman-Review 09/14/1989,
Montana DFWP files

13

14

Jan

1991

Idaho Springs

CO

Lancaster

M

18

20

 

1E

S

M

  A

1

Beast in the Garden, David Baron, 2004;
Cougar Attacks, Kathy Etling, 2001

*  D

14

Jan

1991

Pinion Pines

CA

Zweig

M

  3

10

 

 

NS

 

 

 

Associated Press, RMN; 03/14/1991

D

5

May

1992

Kyuquot

VI

Williams

M

  7

12.1

1

S

F

 1.5

 

Vancouver Sun, 05/07/1992; Seattle Post Intelligence,
07/07/1992; Mt Lions and CA State Parks; 01/19/1994

D

23

Apr

1994

Auburn State
Rec. Area

CA

Schoener

F

40

20

 

1

S

FC

 2-3

1

SDU-T, 05/08/1994, 05/13/1994;
Cat Attacks, Deurbrouck & Miller, 2001

D

10

Dec

1994

Cuyamaca
Rancho S.P.

CA

Kenna

F

56

20

3E

1E

S

M

  5

1

SDU-T, 12/11/1994;
Cat Attacks, Deurbrouck & Miller, 2001

18

19

Aug

1996

Tulameen

BC

C. Parolin

F

36

22

5

1

S

M

 

5

Mountain Lion Alert, Steve Torres; Killer Cougars; Don Zaidle, Feb. 2001; CougAt; CatAt

16

17

Jul

1997

Rocky
Mountain N.P.

CO

Miedema

M

10

10

 

1E

S

FP

Ad

 

DP, 05/01/98; CO Division of Wildlife Report, 10/22/97; SDU-T, 08/16/98; 04/25/99; RMN, 07/19/97; CatAt

D

2

Oct

1999

Poudre Canyon

CO

Atadero

M

  3

10

 

 

 

 

 

 

DP, 10/05/1999 & 10/10/1999; CSG-T, 10/07/99; CRad, 06/12/2003 & 06/17/2003; RMN, 06/14/2003 & 06/16/2003

D

2

Jan

2001

Canmore

AB

Frost

F

30

20

1E

 

S

M

8

1

Calgary Herald, 01/03/2001 & 01/04/2001; Banff Crag & Canyon News, 01/03/2001

* 17

3

May

2003

Leslie

AR

Cox

F

41

21

3E

 

NS

 

 

 

ArkDem-G, 05/08/2003 & 07/05/2003; Memphis Zoo Assistant Curator, Houston Winbigler 05/19/2003

14

8

Jan

2004

Whiting Ranch
Wildernes Prk

CA

Reynolds

M

35

20

1E

 

S

M

2

1

OCR, 01/09/2004 & 05/04/2004; LAT, 01/09/2004, 01/09/2004 & 01/11/2004; SDU-T, 01/09/2004

N

17

Jun

2008

Pinos Altos

NM

Nawojski

M

55

20

 

 

S

M

Ad

1

LCruSun-N, 06/21/2008; SCS-N, 06/25/2008; AJ, 06/26/2008 & 06/25/2008; SCDP, 06/26/2008

Nonfatal Attacks

Date and Place

Victim

Cougar

Source

Hr.a

Day

Month

Year

Vicinity

St./Pr.b
Area

Surname

Sex

Agec

Groupd

Pree

Postf

Shotg

Sexh

Agei

Cond.j

Referencesk

13

23

Sep

1916

Cowichan Lake

VI

Farrer
Ashburnham

M
F

  8
11

12
12

1
1

1
1

S

 

  2.5

7

Anon 1917, London (U.K.) Field 12/23/1916

 

  4

May

1934

Holberg

VI

Jensen

M

Ad

20

1

1

S

 

 

 

WB files

 

 

May

1935

Quatsino

VI

Johnson

M

Ad

21

1

1

S

 

 

 

WB files

21

25

Jan

1951

Kelsey Bay

VI

McLean

M

63

20.1

1

1

S

F

  1.5

4

T-C 01/27/1951, VSun 01/27/1951

 

  3

Jul

1951

Squamish

BC

Wyssen

M

29

20

3

5

S

FC

 

5

VSun 07/04/1951, WB files

12

2

Mar

1953

Port Alice

VI

Walters
Richmond

M
M

43
 

22

 

1

S

F

2

2

VSun 03/03/1953; WB files;
Cougar Attacks, Kathy Etling, 2001

16

14

Apr

1953

Big Bend NP

TX

not given

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

Big Bend NP files

  9

10

Jun

1953

Inglewood

VI

Coon

F

24

21.1

1

1

S

F

 

5

Prov 06/12/1953, T-C 06/12/1953, WB files

 

16

Mar

1962

Hinton

AB

Kilbreath

M

  6

12.1

 

3

S

 

  1.5

5

VSun 03/17/62, EJ 03/17/1962 and 03/19/1962

 

15

Jun

1963

Prince George

BC

Moore

M

  6

12

1

3

S

M

Ad

5

VSun 06/18/1963, WB files

 

  5

Mar

1965

Clinton

BC

Simpkins

M

15

13

1

1

S

F

Ad

5

VSun 03/06/1965 and 03/09/1965, WB files

 

 

Oct

1966

Chilcotin

BC

Nash

M

16

 

 

 

S

M

Ad

5

WB files

18

12

Sep

1969

Port Alberni

VI

Zimmerman

M

13

10

2

1

S

 

 

 

T-C 09/14/1969

  D

  2

Jun

1970

Lewis

CO

Imel

M

  2

11.1

 

1

S

M

Ad

2

Rocky Mountain News 06/03/1970

  D

15

Jun

1970

Kootenay NP

BC

Smith

F

50

20

2

4

NS

 

 

 

VSun 06/16/1970, Prov 06/16/1970

  8

22

Dec

1970

Harrison Lake

BC

Collie

M

29

20.1

1

1

S

F

  2

3

VSun 12/23/1970

  D

  8

Jul

1971

Eureka Cty.

NV

Bird

M

Ad

21

1

  

S

F

Ad

3

Nevada Department of Wildlife files

 

 

Jun

1972

Strathcona Pk

VI

 

 

  1

13

 

 

NS

 

 

 

WB files

  N

 

Jun

1972

Strathcona Pk

VI

Hurford

M

25

22

1

1

NS

 

 

 

WB files, VSun 07/28/1972

14

26

Jul

1972

Campbell Lake

VI

Kelly

M

  8

14

1

2

NS

 

 

 

Prov 07/27/1972, VSun 07/27/1972

*  D

16

Oct

1972

Cheshire

OR

Brewer

M

10

12

1

 

S

 

 

 

OR D.F.G Wildl Biologist William Castillo 02/13/2001

10

  1

Jun

1975

Coquitlam

BC

Jones

M

  8

12

 

 

S

M

  2

1

VSun 06/02/1975, Prov 06/02/1975, WB files

12

22

Dec

1976

Rye

CO

Morgan

M

14

10

 

1

S

F

  1.5

 

Denver Post 12/23/1976

15

25

Jun

1977

Enumclaw

WA

O'Neal
O'Neal

F
F

28
  4

22
13

2
 

1
 

S

M

  1.7

4

Seattle Times 06/27/1977,
Washington Department of Wildlife files

  N

22

Nov

1978

Big Bend NP

TX

Rives

M

  3

13

1

 

NS

 

 

 

Big Bend National Park files

17

19

Feb

1979

Boston Bar

BC

Fife

F

  9

12.1

1

1

S

F

  5

4

Hope Standard 02/21/1979

18

  7

Aug

1979

Port Hardy

VI

Walkus

F

  4

14.1

 

 

S

F

 

5

VSun 08/10/1979, WB files

11

27

May

1981

Waterton Lakes NP

AB

Orchard

M

  C

11

 

 

NS

FC

 

 

WLNP files

 

 

 

1981

Oyster River

VI

 

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

F

  1.5

 

WB files

  7

20

Aug

1982

Waterton Lakes NP

AB

Bisby

M

  9

11

 

 

S

M

  0.5

2

WLNP files

 

 

 

1983

Esperanza

VI

 

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

WB files

15

24

Apr

1983

Port Alice

VI

Shanks
Wing

M
M

10
  9

12
12

3

 

S

 

 

 

WB files

 

 

 

1983

Holberg

VI

 

M

16

10

 

 

S

M

  3

 

WB files

19

  4

Apr

1984

Big Bend NP

TX

Roe

F

Ad

20

1

6

NS

 

  1

 

Big Bend NP files

18

  2

Aug

1984

Big Bend NP

TX

Vaught
Brown

M
M

  9
Ad

13
22

1
5

 
1

S

M

  1.8

4

Big Bend NP files

19

28

May

1985

Pacific Rim NP

VI

Wilson

M

12

11

1

1

NS

 

 

 

VSun 05/29/1985, T-C 05/30/1985

19

  3

Aug

1985

Sooke

VI

Parker

F

10

14.1

3

3

S

M

  1.5

2

Prov 08/06/1985, VSun 08/06-07/1985

14

23

Mar

1986

Orange Cty.

CA

Small

F

  5

13

1

1

S

M

  2

1

OCR 03/24-25/1986, LAT 03/25/1986

12

19

Oct

1986

Orange Cty.

CA

Mellon

M

  6

11

1

1

NS

 

 

 

OCR 10/20-22/1986

12

19

Apr

1987

Big Bend NP

TX

Burt

F

31

22

3

1

S

M

  1.2

4

Big Bend NP files

 

28

May

1988

Payson

AZ

Fuller

F

  6

14.1

 

1

S

F

  1.5

4

Arizona Republic 06/09/1988

22

11

Jan

1989

Tofino

VI

Lucas

M

28

21.1

1

1

S

F

  2

4

Prov 01/13/1989

19

29

Apr

1989

Canyon Lake

AZ

Walsh

M

  5

13

 

3

NS

 

 

 

Phoenix Gazette 05/01/1989

18

  2

Jun

1990

Boulder

CO

Walters

F

28

20

6

1

NS

FC

 

 

Colorado Division of Wildlife files

12

23

Jun

1990

Glacier NP

MT

O'Hare

M

  9

14.1

1

2

S

M

  1.3

4

Glacier National Park files

D

28

Mar

1991

Nellis AFB

NV

Saether/
Sacthre

F

20's

22

1

1A

S

F

Ad

1

U.S.D.A, Wildlife Services, Reno, NV; Mountain Lion Fact Sheet by T. R. Mader, 1995; CougAt

D

3

Jul

1991

Lillooet

BC

Allen
O'Laney

M
F

2
1.5

13

 

1A

NS

 

1

 

RMN, 07/16/91; The British Columbia Newspaper Foundation; 10/01/1997

D

12

Mar

1992

Santa Barbara

CA

Arroyo

M

9

13

 

1A

NS

 

 

 

Santa Barbara News Press; MLFS; Mt Lions and CA State Parks, 01/19/94; 1995 Outdoor California; SDU-T, 04/15/95

D

15

Jun

1992

Wenatchee

WA

Vanney

F

5

13

1

1A

S

F

Ad

2

Associated Press, June 18, 1992; MLFS; CougAt

 

21

Jun

1992

White River
area

WA

not given

M

2

11

 

1A

S

 

0.5

 

CougAt; Seattle Post Intelligencer, 07/07/1992; Seattle Times, 06/23/1992

D

2

Jul

1992

Robson Bight
Telegraph Cv.

VI

Sherman

F

29

21

2B

1A

WP

 

Ad

 

CougAt; Cougar existentialism, Jim Nollman, from the Interspecies Newsletter, 1993 or 1994

D

12

Aug

1992

Glacier Natl.
Park

MT

Moore

M

12

11

 

1A

S

M

Ad

2

RMN, Associated Press, 08/19/1992; CougAt

D

16

May

1993

Cherryville

BC

not given

M

16

10

1

1T

S

F

1.5

5

BC Ministry of the Environment report; CougAt

D

29

May

1993

Cherryville

BC

not given

M

7

13

1

 

S

 

1.5

 

BC Ministry of the Environment report #54419; CougAt

*  D

 

Aug

1993

Los Padres
Natl. Forest

CA

Foote

M

6

10

 

 

NS

 

 

 

MLCSP; SDU-T, AP, 4/15/1995; LAT, 4/3/1995; UCAN, 10/1993; E. Lee Fitzhugh, 1/15/04; CougAt

12

18

Sep

1993

Cuyamaca
Rancho S.P.

CA

Kowalski

F

10

13

2

4

S

F

1.7

4

SDU-T, 05/10/94; MLCP; CougAt

9

9

May

1994

Gold River

VI

Musselman

M

7

12

1

1A

S

 

AD

 

CatAt; CougAt

D

17

Jul

1994

Tonto Natl.
Forest

AZ

Humphreys

M

2

13

1

1A

NS

 

 

 

The High Country News, 08/24/94;
The Arizona Republic,Lion Attack, 07/20/94

5

16

Aug

1994

Dos Rios

CA

Strehl
Winslow

F
M

48
50

22

 
5

1A
1

S

F

2

6

SDU-T 08/17/94; 1995 DFG Outdoor California

D

20

Aug

1994

Olympic N.F.

WA

Braun

M

2

13

1

1A

S

 

1.5

 

CougAt; Seattle Times, 08/24/1994

D

7

Oct

1994

Gold River

VI

McKerracher

M

Ad

22

4

1A

NS

 

 

 

CNews, 08/23/2006; CougAt

11

13

Dec

1994

Ute Mtn.
Ute Rsvn.

CO

Groves

F

25

20

4

1

S

F

Old

5

RMN, 12/15/94; CougAt

D

Jan

1995

Julian

CA

Rossmiller

F

17

11

7

7

M

1

1

SDUT, 01/28/95

D

20

Mar

1995

Mt Lowe
ANF

CA

Fike

M

27

20

1

1

S

SDUT, 03/25/95; CougAt

D

25

May

1995

Creston

BC

unknown

M

Ad

23

7

S

CougAt; Daloise letter, 06/11/1997; BCMinEnviro

18

13

Sept

1995

Estes Park
RMNP

CO

Street

M

48

20

6

7

NS

WP, 07/13/97; BC; CougAt

D

12

Feb

1996

Zeballos, Little
Espinosa Inlet

VI

Annand

M

36

21

4

1A

NS

CougAt; Danz; BCMinEnviro

D

24

May

1996

Port Angeles
Olympic NP

WA

Anderson

M

28

20

3

1

NS

Peninsula Daily News, 05/26/1996; Spokane Spokesman 06/30/1996; WADoF&G 05/24/1996

D

07

Jul

1996

Lytton

BC

Frank

F

6

11

3

3A

Killer Cougars, Don Zaidle, 02/2001; Animal People, 03/1997; The B.C. Newspaper Foundation, 01/1997

D

07

Jul

1996

Arrow Lake
Nakusp

BC

Veinguessner

M

8

15

1

3A

S

M

2-3

4

CougAt; Killer Cougars, Don Zaidle, 02/2001; Animal People, 03/1997

18

19

Aug

1996

Tulameen

BC

S. Parolin

M

6

13

8

7

S

M

 

5

Mountain Lion Alert, Steve Torres; Killer Cougars; Don Zaidle, Feb. 2001; CougAt; CatAt

06

Jan

1997

Peshastin

WA

Parks

M

Ad

20

5

1

S

F

 

5

CougAt; WADoF&W

23

20

May

1997

Alturas

CA

Shadursky

M

Ad

20

9

1

NS

 

Modoc County Record; 05/22/1997

aNearest Hour on 24 hour clock, except D = daylight hours and N = dark hours
bState or Province or V.I. = Vancouver Island (B.C.)
cAge in years except Ch = child of unknown age and Ad = adult of unknown age
dGroups: 10 = child victim alone and out of earshot of other humans; 11 = child alone but within earshot of an adult; 12 = child in group of children;
13 = child in group with adult; 14 = child in child group within earshot of adult; 15 = child in group with other children and an adult or adults; 20 = adult alone and out of earshot of others; 21 = adult alone but within earshot of others; 22 = adult in group. 23 = adult alone but with ability to contact others by phone/radio/etc.   A "1" suffix indicates attack occurred within view of a human dwelling or of a motor home in a developed recreation area
ePre-attack Behavior of the victim after seeing the cougar approach:  1 = no time to react; 2 = watched quietly; 3 = ran away; 4 = stood ground and shouted or threw rocks, etc.; 5 = pulled cougar off first victim; 6 = shouted and stood ground, and then climbed tree; 7 = swiftly obtained shelter; 8 = on horseback; 9 = moved away, looking back; A "B" suffix indicates backed slowly away; An "E" suffix indicates supported by evidence
fPost-attack Behavior of the victim:  1 = fought back; 2 = played dead; 3 = victim's head was held in cougar's mouth, perhaps in shock; 4 = talked quietly to cougar; 5 = drove away in/on vehicle; 6 = cougar fled at once; 7 = waited for help or for the cougar to depart; An "A" suffix indicates aided by another/others; A "B" suffix indicates backed slowly away; An "E" suffix indicates supported by evidence; A "T" suffix indicates, climbed a tree
gShot/Killed/Wounded/Injured: S = cougar was shot/killed; NS = cougar was not shot/killed; W = wounded; I = Injured; A "P" suffix indicates cougar may have been a problem later
hGender: M = male; F = female; FC = female with cub; FP = pregnant female
iAge of cougar in years; Ad = adult of unknown age
jCondition of cougar:  1 = good health and normal body mass; 2 = mass (measured) was normal for age; 3= mass (estimated) was normal for age; 4 = mass (measured) was below normal for age; 5 = mass (estimated) was below normal for age; 6 = rabid; 7 = cataracts
kSource Abbreviations: AJ = Albuquerque Journal; ANF = Angeles National Forest; ArkDem-G = Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; BC = Bike Colorado; BCMinEnviro = B.C. Ministry of the Environment report; CatAt = Cat Attacks, True Stories and Hard Lessons from Cougar Country by Jo Deurbrouch & Dean Miller, Sasquatch Books, 2001; CougAt = Cougar Attacks, Encounters of the Worst Kind by Kathy Etling, The Lyons Press, 2001; CRad = The Coloradoan; CSG-T = Colorado Springs Gazette - Telegraph; Danz = Cougar by Harold Danz, 1999; DFWP = Dep. Fish Wildlife and Parks; DP = The Denver Post; EJ = Edmonton Journal; LAT = Los Angeles Times; LCruSun-N = Las-Cruces Sun News; MLCSP = Mountain Lions and California State Parks; MLFS = Mountain Lion Fact Sheet by T. R. Mader, Research Director of the Abundant Wildlife Society of North America, 1995; NP = National Park; OCR = Orange County Register; Prov = The Vancouver Province; RMN = The Rocky Mountain News (out of business); RMNP = Rocky Mountain National Park; SCDP = The Silver City Daily Press; SCS-N = Silver City Sun-News; SDU-T = San Diego Union-Tribune; T-C = Victoria Times-Colonist Daily Colonist until 1976); UCAN = United Conservation Alliance News; VSun = The Vancouver Sun; WADoF&W = Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife Report; WB = Wildlife Branch of the Province of British Columbia; WP = The Washington Post; WLNP = Waterton Lakes National Park.
  State/Province/Area Abbreviations: AB = Alberta; AR = Arkansas; AZ = Arizona; BC = British Columbia; CA = California; CO = Colorado; MT = Montana; NV = Nevada; NM = New Mexico; ND= North Dakota; OR = Oregon; TX = Texas; UT = Utah; VI = British Columbia's Vancouver Island (separately noted due to having the most incidents of any area); WA = Washington; WY = Wyoming
  General Abbreviations: Cty. = County; Cv. = Cove; Mtn. = Mountain; NP = National Park; Pr. = Province; Prk./Pk. = Park; Rsvn. = Reservation St. = State;

*Additions greyed out are from information subsequent to the publication of Beier's table.
 Example:

  D

16

Oct

1972

Cheshire

OR

Brewer

M

10

12

1

 

S

 

 

 

This Information Added to/Corrected for 1890-1990 time period
*Additions in purple text may not have been officially confirmed, but evidence is currently convincing.
 Example:

  D

14

Jan

1991

Pinion Pines

CA

Zweig

M

 3

10

 

 

NS

 

 

 

Not officially confirmed
*Additions with blue background are non-injury or probably non-injury.
 Example:

16

14

Apr

1953

Big Bend NP

Tex

not given

M

Ad

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

Non-Injury or Probably Non-Injury

This table expanded from table for:
Wildlife Society Bulletin 19:403-412. 1991
COUGAR ATTACKS ON HUMANS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA


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