LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Authorities are investigating a fatal Colorado mountain lion attack south of Glen Haven.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) posted at 5 p.m. Thursday that it was responding to the area for a "suspected mountain lion attack." FOX 13 News' sister station, Denver 7, confirmed around 7 p.m. that a person had died in the attack.
Earlier in the day, Glen Haven Area Volunteer Fire Department had reported that all three Crosier Mountain trailheads, which include Glen Haven, Rainbow and Garden Gate, as well as the Houston Heights Trailhead, were closed due to an incident. The public was told to stay away from the area.
Colorado is home to an estimated 3,800 to 4,400 mountain lions, CPW says.
According to CPW, the agency has documented 25 mountain lion attacks that resulted in injury in the state since 1990. Of those, 11 happened in the northeast quadrant of the state, which includes Larimer County. During that same time frame, the state has seen two confirmed fatalities and one suspected fatality due to a mountain lion attack. One of the confirmed human fatalities, as well as the unconfirmed one, both happened in this northeast quadrant, according to CPW.
Mountain lions typically avoid people, but they do overlap and that can sometimes result in a conflict.
"Human-lion incidents vary and run a continuum from mere sightings, depredation on pets or hobby livestock to rare human attacks resulting in human injury or death," CPW reports.
Across North America, fewer than 20 people have died of a mountain lion attack in more than 100 years, CPW reported in 2019.
Back in February 2019, a mountain lion attack at Horsetooth Mountain in Larimer County involved a 31-year-old runner who was attacked by one of the animals. He was able to escape.
CPW provided the following tips on what to do if you encounter a mountain lion:
- Do not approach a lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
- Stay calm when you come upon a lion. Talk calmly and firmly to it. Move slowly and never turn your back on it.
- Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack. Face the lion and stand upright.
- Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you're wearing one. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won't panic and run.
- If the lion behaves aggressively, throw stones, branches or whatever you can get your hands on without crouching down or turning your back. Wave your arms slowly and speak firmly. Try to convince the lion you are not prey and that you may in fact be a danger to the lion.
- Fight back if a lion attacks you. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. If you have trekking poles or keys, use those too. CPW recommends targeting the eye and nose as these are sensitive areas. Remain standing or try to get back up.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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