LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – A hike on New Year’s Day resulted in tragedy after a Larimer county woman was found dead in a suspected mountain lion attack – the first fatal attack to strike Colorado since 1999. Officials say though an incident like this is extremely rare, protecting yourself in the outdoors begins with acknowledging that it could happen to you.
Hikers encountered a rare and harrowing scene on Crosier Mountain Trail in Larimer County January 1st, when they spotted a mountain lion just 100 yards away from them, and a woman lying on the ground.
When encountering a mountain lion, “it’s time to start throwing things toward it and doing what you can to scare that animal away,” says Mike Porras, public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
CPW says they threw rocks at the lion, and when they went to care for the woman, they couldn’t find a pulse.
CPW officers and local officials responded to the scene, finding and euthanizing two mountain lions, in accordance with policy. But it was too late to save the victim’s life.
In the wake of the attack, officials are spreading the word about wildlife safety, and how to protect yourself from a mountain lion encounter.
“Make yourself look big,” says CPW assistant area wildlife manager Albert Romero. “Put your arms up if you have a jacket on or a sweater. Make it look big. Talk to it forcefully.”
“You want to punch, you want to kick, you want to gouge its eyes,” adds Porras. “Do whatever you can to protect yourself. Show that predator that you are not prey.”
As of Friday, the Larimer County Coroner’s Office has not released the identity of the victim.
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