COUGAR ALERT

Woman Found Dead in Suspected Mountain Lion Attack on Scenic Hiking Trail

Two big cats killed after the fatal mountain lion attack and more could follow.

Wildlife officers in Colorado have killed two mountain lions after the state’s first fatal cougar attack in 25 years. Two hikers found a woman’s body on Thursday on the remote Crosier Mountain trail in Larimer County, throwing rocks at a big cat to scare it away. One of the hikers was a physician, authorities said, and checked the woman to find she didn’t have a pulse. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson said the woman was an adult and that the department was investigating her death as a “suspected fatal mountain lion attack.” The Associated Press reports that two lions found in the area had already been killed, with authorities saying any further culling would be dependent on how events unfold. “One mountain lion was shot on scene by officers, later tracked and euthanized,” the spokesperson said. “A second lion was located in the area and also euthanized by officers.” The spokesperson added they were not sure how many lions were involved in the suspected attack. The last time anyone in Colorado was killed by a mountain lion, which can weigh up to 130 pounds, was in 1999 when a 3-year-old was attacked.