Canada women's rugby 7s captain back training after cougar bite - Action News
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British Columbia

Canada women's rugby 7s captain back training after cougar bite

Canada rugby sevens captain Olivia Apps is back with the team after being treated for a cougar bite in a B.C. provincial park.

Olivia Apps suffered a cougar bite while hiking in Vancouver Islands Strathcona Provincial Park last weekend

A rugby player in action running in the field with the ball.
Canada's Olivia Apps scores a try against Brazil during HSBC Canada Sevens women's rugby action in Vancouver, B.C., on March 4, 2023. (Darryl Dyck/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Canada rugby sevens captain Olivia Apps is back with the team after being treated for a cougar bite in a B.C. provincial park.

Rugby Canada confirmed the attack and said the 25-year-old from Lindsay, Ont., "was treated in hospital shortly after for a minor injury and was able to return to training with the national team immediately following the incident."

It did not provide further details.

CHEK News reported that Apps was bitten last weekend while hiking on Elk River Trail in Strathcona Provincial Park with another woman and their off-leash dogs. During their hike, thecougar also attacked one of their two dogs but fled when bear-sprayed.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) confirmed to CHEK News that the hikers and their dogs were airlifted out of the area. Following their investigation, COS categorized the attack as defensive and stated no further action would be taken, as reported by CHEK News.

British Columbia's Environment Ministry confirmed that signage indicatingcougarsightings and activity had been postedinthearea prior totheattack.

Elk River Trail has since been closed tothepublic andB.C. Parks has installed additional signage.

StrathconaProvincialParkistheoldestparkinBritish Columbia. Located almostinthecentre of Vancouver Island, itisdescribed asa"rugged mountain wilderness comprising of more than 250,000 hectares."

Apps, who also plays Scrum Half for the Canadian 15s side, is back training with the sevens team at its home base of Langford, B.C., ahead of the Paris Olympics.

With files from CHEK News