The Canadian Press reports on a 6-year-old boy from British Columbia whose instincts for caring about a younger brother overcame his fear as he faced a crouching cougar in his back yard. His father tells the story like this:

“He just heard something. He looked around, and crouched down coming at him about five feet away was this cougar. Rather than take the three steps and run in the house, he turned and ran, I don’t know, another 40 to 50 feet past the cat to get his little brother.”

"He just heard something. He looked around, and crouched down coming at him about five feet away was this cougar. Rather than take the three steps and run in the house, he turned and ran, I don't know, another 40 to 50 feet past the cat to get his little brother."

It is rare for cougars to attack humans, but it does happen in BC, and likely such an attack was in progress. The parents were in their workshop next door. Young Bryce Forbes alerted them by telephone after escaping into the house with his brother. (photo taken after the incident, by the family)