Cougar stalks, kills skier in Canada's Banff park
Warden says officials have shot cat;
attack was first in province
Associated
Press
BANFF, Alberta — A cougar stalked and
killed a cross-country skier in Banff National Park, the park's warden
said Wednesday.
The 30-year-old woman died Tuesday when
attacked on a cross-country skiing trail near Lake Minnewanka, about six
miles outside the town of Banff. Park officials found the cougar, also
known as a mountain lion, over her body and shot it immediately.
"Indications were that the animal actually stalked the victim,"
said Ian Syme, the park's chief warden. "She may not even have been aware
that this was taking place."
Syme said that cougar
attacks on humans are extremely unusual and that this fatal attack was a
first for the province of Alberta, in which Banff is located.
Four or five cougars in the area had been coming in closer than
usual to feed on elk because they were competing with a wolf pack that had
settled nearby, he said.
He described the cougar that
attacked the skier as healthy, about 132 pounds and well-muscled. An
autopsy found no abnormality that might explain its unusual
behavior.
Another cougar was involved in confrontations
in the Banff area in recent days, including an incident in which the
cougar approached a woman walking her dog, Syme said.
Park officials have warned Banff residents to keep pets inside, to walk
only on streets and to take dogs out only on main roads in daylight hours.
Hikers and cross-country skiers should travel in groups, they say.
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