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A hiker was reportedly killed by at least one mountain lion in the US state of Colorado on Wednesday, according to wildlife authorities.
If confirmed, it would be the first fatal attack since 1999.
A group of hikers found the woman’s body on a remote trail and spotted a lion nearby. After scaring off the predatory cat, they checked the body and found no pulse, said Kara Van Hoose, spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).
It is unclear whether one or more animals were involved in the attack, she added. Two mountain lions were euthanized after extensive searches and investigators are currently studying them for signs of human DNA.
Hikers had thrown rocks at the mountain lion to chase it away, Van Hoose said at a news conference. CPW officers responding to the scene shot and killed the lion, which fled. They then hunted him down to euthanize him.
A second lion was found in the area and was also euthanized.
If neither lion appears to be the culprit, the search will resume to find a possible aggressor. Under CPW rules, wild animals that kill a human must be euthanized for reasons of public safety.
The woman’s body showed signs of a mountain lion attack, Van Hoose said.
The local sheriff’s office has informed his next of kin and will release his identity at a later date, Ms Van Hoose told the BBC. It is believed she was hiking alone.
The Crosier Mountain Trail is located north of Denver, near the border of Wyoming and Rocky Mountain National Park. It could be considered isolated, Ms. Van Hoose said, adding that hikers often lose cell signals.
The Larimer County Sheriff, police from the nearby town of Estes Park and volunteer firefighters assisted in the search.
A biologist conducting a helicopter deer survey in the area helped search for the animal and transport personnel, according to CPW. Meanwhile, dogs have been brought in to track scents, which Ms. Van Hoose said is an often effective way to locate mountain lions.
Mountain lion attacks – whether fatal or not – are rare in the state, with CPW recording 28 total since 1990.
Mountain lions, also called pumas, cougars, catamounts or panthers, can be found throughout North America, but they are now primarily found in 15 Western states, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation. They are mostly solitary animals, spending most of their time hunting, according to the foundation.
