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SPANISH FORK — A 70-year-old Spanish Fork man avoided serious injuries after he used a rock to defend himself from a reported cougar attack in Diamond Fork Canyon on Thursday afternoon, state wildlife officials say.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials are also warning people to be cautious while trekking in the canyon because officials were unable to locate the cougar.
The man was hiking in a grove of juniper trees west of the locked gates near Fifth Water Hot Springs Trail about 3 p.m. when he reported a cougar "jumped at him from his left" and knocked him to the ground, said Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman Scott Root. The man was able to use a rock he found on the ground, which he threw at the cougar to scare it away.
Once the mountain lion left, the man hiked back down to the canyon and drove himself out of the canyon. Utah County Sheriff's Office officials said Thursday that the man was able to escape with just lacerations on his arms and head. Root said Friday that the man was treated at a nearby hospital and is OK.
Utah wildlife conservation officers were informed about the incident about three hours after it happened. They deployed K-9 units to look for the cougar Thursday night and Friday morning. The search team found the man's cell phone, which he had dropped sometime during the encounter, as well as cougar tracks on a ridge line above where the phone was recovered, Root said.
However, they have not been able to find the cougar. He said the department wrapped its search early Friday afternoon after it "exhausted" all its resources, adding that they believe it's "unsafe" to place traps in the heavily recreated area.
The division has instead placed new safety signage in the Diamond Fork area, advising that a mountain lion has been spotted in the area recently. Visitors are encouraged to report any "suspicious" wildlife behavior to the division's Springville office by calling 801-491-5678.
Run-ins with cougars are rare but not unheard of. An Orem man's video of a cougar encounter in Slate Canyon, also in Utah County, went viral in 2020 after he was able to avoid injuries after being stalked by a cougar for about six minutes.
State wildlife officials advise that people travel in groups instead of hiking or jogging alone. People who encounter a cougar should never run from the animal nor should they approach it. Instead, they should maintain eye contact, stand up tall and make themselves look as big as possible, talking firmly in a loud voice as they slowly back away and leave the area, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
When attacked, people should fight back because cougars will likely flee if someone is aggressive enough. More safety tips about cougars can be found here.
