A young boy was mauled by a mountain lion while playing in his yard in Colorado
According to media reports Sunday, the child’s mother saved him and the animal was put down, authorities say.
5yo boy attacked by Mountain Lion last night near this busy biking trail, condo/apts outside Aspen @KDVR pic.twitter.com/mywXU70xJS
— Macradee (@macradee) June 18, 2016
According to Rite, the five-year-old suffered injuries to his face, head and neck, and his mother sustained minor injuries to her hand and legs in the attack Friday in a rural area 16km northwest of Aspen, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said.
The boy was outside in the yard playing with his older brother when the mother heard screams.
“She was able to pry the cat’s jaws open,” Deputy Michael Buglione told local media. “She’s a hero.”
The boy’s father rushed him to the hospital.
Deputies and a law enforcement officer from the US Forest Service went to the house and found the mountain lion still in the yard.
The animal was put down by the Forest Service officer.
Some expressed concern for the well-being of wild animals, suggesting that many attacks are a result of their habitat being destroyed.
“I feel that humans have taken over so much territory, we built our homes on animals natural habitats and destroyed their homes,” said Alejandra Hernandez on Facebook.
Mountain lion mauls boy, Mom Comes To The Rescue https://t.co/3atP2jIReX
— The Camping Canuck (@camping_canuck) June 19, 2016
“Of course these animals are wandering around everywhere, they’re hungry they need to survive.”
Mountain lion mauls boy In California
In 2015, a father of a 6-year-old boy had to fight off a mountain lion on to keep the child from being dragged from a scenic California hiking trail by the predator, authorities said.
The boy was released from the hospital a few days later.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers extensive information on its website. If you live in lion country, keep the following tips in mind:
- Don’t feed any wildlife. It attracts lion prey like foxes, raccoons and deer. Predators follow prey
- Avoid planting non-native shrubs and plants that deer prefer to eat. It might encourage wildlife to come onto your property
- Make noise if you come and go during the times mountain lions are most active—dusk to dawn
- Install outside lighting in areas where you walk so you could see a lion if one were present
- Closely supervise children whenever they play outdoors. Make sure children are inside before dusk and not outside before dawn. Talk with children about lions and teach them what to do if they meet one
- Landscape or remove vegetation to eliminate hiding places for lions, especially around children’s play areas. Make it difficult for lions to approach unseen
- Keep your pet under control. Roaming pets are easy prey and can attract lions. Bring pets in at night. If you leave your pet outside, keep it in a kennel with a secure top
- Don’t feed pets outside; this can attract raccoons and other animals that are eaten by lions. Store all garbage securely
- Place livestock in enclosed sheds or barns at night. Close doors to all outbuildings since inquisitive lions may go inside for a look
- When you walk or hike in mountain lion country, go in groups and make plenty of noise to reduce your chances of surprising a lion. A sturdy walking stick can ward off a lion. Make sure children are close to you and within your sight at all times. Talk with children about lions and teach them what to do if they meet one
- 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 yet firmly to it. Move slowly
- Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Do not turn and run! 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 are 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. 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 can be driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. Remain standing or try to get back up
- Encourage your neighbors to follow these simple precautions. Prevention is far better than a possible lion confrontation
Image: . Flickr
