Two mountain lions were euthanized in Colorado after what officials believe was a fatal mountain lion attack on a woman.
On Thursday at about 12:15 p.m., hikers spotted a mountain lion near the body of a woman on the Crosier Mountain trail in Larimer County. The animal was chased away from the body by the hikers, who threw rocks at it.
The woman did not have a pulse, according to a news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
One animal was shot and wounded at the scene of the attack before being tracked down and euthanized.
A second mountain lion found near the scene of the fatal attack was also euthanized.
Although officials do not know how many animals might have been involved in the suspected attack, it noted that its policy is to euthanize animals suspected of attacks on people to protect the public.
The agency will conduct a necropsy to determine if the mountain lions suffered from diseases.
The Larimer County Coroner will release the woman’s identity and cause of death, according to NBC News.
Kara Van Hoose, a representative of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said there were “signs that this was consistent with a mountain lion attack but we can’t say for sure.”
She said the victim of the attack was hiking alone.
Van Hoose said that during the necropsy, the animals will be tested for the presence of human DNA.
If none is found, she said, a search for animals that could have been involved in the attack will take place, she said.
Van Hoose said the area where the attack took place is remote and heavily wooded.
“This is an area where mountain lions are really common, along with a lot of other wildlife like bears and moose,” she said. “Because mountain lion are really common in this area, we do expect to have conflicts with regular things like sightings or encounters with dogs.”
In its release, the agency said hikers in the area where the attack took place should expect to encounter wildlife.
“Mountain lions are more visible in winter as they follow deer and elk to lower elevations. If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal. Pets should be kept on-leash and not interact with wildlife,” the release said.
The agency said 28 mountain lion attacks on people have been reported since 1990. The last fatal attack took place in 1999, it said.
The last attack took place in 2023, according to USA Today.
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