A 70-year-old man is recovering after being attacked by a cougar in Utah's Spanish Fork Canyon.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office said the attack occurred Thursday afternoon in Diamond Fork, just north of a campground area in the canyon.
The man suffered lacerations on his arms and head, but eventually managed to escape the cat. He was treated at a local hospital and released in fair condition, police said.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is searching for the cougar. As of Friday, the animal involved in the attack has not been located.
Travelers are being asked to avoid the Diamond Fork area at this time.
Although cougars live all across Utah, wildlife officials say encounters with humans are rare because they're solitary animals. Cougars are usually found in the foothill and canyon areas looking for prey, most commonly deer.
To prevent encounters, officials suggest hiking or jogging in groups and making noise to alert cougars of your presence. Never run from a cougar, as this will provoke an instinctive prey response and the cougar may give chase.
"Make eye contact with the cougar, which cougars consider a threat," the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says. "Make yourself look big by opening your jacket, raising your arms and waving them. Speak loud and firm to the cougar."
If an attack happens, officials say to fight back.
"Protect your head and neck, as the neck is the target for the cougar. If the cougar thinks it is not likely to win its fight with you quickly, it will probably give up and leave," according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
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