Colorado Parks & Wildlife Officers Euthanize 2 Mountain Lions After Boy Attacked
BAILEY, Colo. (CBS4) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers euthanized two mountain lions that were in the vicinity of the attack site where a boy was bitten in the head near Bailey. The boy was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife NE Region tweeted that they were working with a dog team from the USDA Wildlife Services at the attack sight when they received a call from a landowner who was missing a goat and saw two mountain lions.
Wildlife officers found two mountain lions that fit the description of those in the attack and they were euthanized. Wildlife officers say they believe one of the lions is from the attack on Wednesday that left a boy hospitalized.
A necropsy has been ordered along with DNA analysis.
The attack happened at approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Burland Ranchettes subdivision. The boy was with his brother on the trampoline in the yard outside their home at the time.
"The two boys were playing outside on a trampoline when the eight-year-old boy heard one of his friends calling from a neighboring house and ran to go visit the friend. While he was running, the mountain lion attacked and bit the boy on the head," said officials with CPW in a statement.
"The kid was running and it probably triggered the lion's natural response to a prey animal running," area wildlife manager Mark Lamb said.
The boy's brother ran inside and the father came outside to find the animal on top of his son. He scared it off.
"He did what a father would do, run out and protect his son knowing that he was in trouble," said CPW spokesman Jason Clay. "The father saved his son's life."
The family told initially investigators the animal was smaller than a normal mountain lion.
Everett Fouts lives in the area and packs a pistol on his hip.
"What people really have to understand is when you move up in the mountain areas like this you are moving into their territory they are not moving into yours," said Fouts.
Park County used CODE RED to alert residents in the area about the mountain lion attack. Residents must register with the system to receive alerts by landline, cellphone or email at www.parkco.us.
