Fatal Mountain Lion Attack in Colorado
A woman tragically lost her life on Thursday in what appears to be a mountain lion attack while she was hiking alone in northern Colorado. This incident marks the first fatal mountain lion attack in over 25 years in the state.
Later that day, wildlife officers reported spotting two mountain lions near the site and subsequently shot them, according to Kara Van Hoose from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
The attack took place in the mountainous area south of Glen Haven, which is about 11 miles northeast of Estes Park, a popular entry point to the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Just before noon, two hikers discovered the woman’s body on a remote section of the Crossier Mountain Trail, part of the National Forest. Van Hoose noted that these hikers attempted to help the woman by throwing rocks to scare the mountain lions away.
One of the climbers was a doctor who tried to revive the victim but unfortunately could not detect any pulse.
As for the specifics of her injuries and the cause of death, those details have not been released yet.
Van Hoose mentioned that an ongoing search is being conducted for other mountain lions in the vicinity. The decision to kill any additional lions would depend on the circumstances, she added.
Mountain lion sightings are not uncommon in the areas where the attack occurred, but over recent years, there haven’t been reports of such attacks on humans. “This time of year tends to see the most mountain lion sightings, particularly in Larimer County, which has suitable mountain lion habitats,” she said. The trails in this area are often quite remote, heavily wooded, and feature considerable elevation changes.
While attacks by mountain lions are infrequent, the last known fatal attack in Colorado occurred in 1999 when a three-year-old was killed. Prior to that, in 1997, a ten-year-old boy was attacked and dragged away by a mountain lion while hiking with his family in Rocky Mountain National Park.
In a similar situation last year in Northern California, two brothers were stalked by a lion; one tragically lost his life during their fight for survival.
Mountain lions, also known as cougars or catamounts, can weigh up to 130 pounds and stretch more than six feet in length, primarily preying on deer. Colorado is estimated to have around 3,800 to 4,400 of these animals, which are classified as big game and can be hunted within the state.
