“The mother ran outside, saw the mountain lion on her son and was able to physically remove her son from the mountain lion”, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. His mom had bite marks on her hand and scratches on her leg after the lion, estimated to be about 2 years old, ran off. She was taken to the hospital, treated and released.
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A photo of a mountain lion. Their names were not released.
Reuters reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said there have been two, possible three, fatalities related to mountain lion attacks in the state since 1991, while some 16 people have been injured by cougars since 1970.
Summoned by the sound of screams, a Colorado woman raced to her front yard to find a terrifying sight: A mountain lion was hunched over her 5-year-old son, biting him.
After interviewing the child’s mother, authorities learned the boy had been playing outside with his older brother when the mother heard screaming coming from outside.
The boy’s mother, who fought off the lion, was also treated and released shortly after in good condition.
The boy is at Children’s Hospital in Denver and is receiving treatment for injuries to his face, head and neck.
“Our number one priority is human safety at all times”, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Mike Porras said.
Officials are taking the lions to Fort Collins Saturday for a necropsy to confirm whether one of the animals was the one involved in the attack, Churchill said.
“Most of the attacks were by young lions, perhaps forced out to hunt on their own and not yet living in established areas”, according to the agency. A young lion attacked a man as he fished along north of Dotsero, about 60 miles from where Friday night’s attack occurred.
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If you encounter a mountain lion that isn’t attacking, the department suggests talking calmly and firmly to it while moving slowly away if possible. Officials all agreed the lion should be shot and killed.
