BAILEY, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said Friday there have been at least three mountain lions sightings in the Bailey area after two mountain lions were euthanized by USDA Wildlife Services on Thursday.
The mountain lions were put down following the killing of a domestic goat in the Burland Ranchettes Subdivision, CPW said. Under the agency's policy, predators that kill livestock can be euthanized.
The two lions were seen by a homeowner after he realized one of his goats was missing. CPW officers and federal Wildlife Services officials were already in the area searching for the mountain lion responsible for attacking an eight-year-old boy Wednesday evening.
"That area up there has abundant wildlife. Lots of deer, lots of other critters as well. Your mountain lions are going to go where their food is at. When you have heavy deer population, you should assume you’ll have mountain lions in that area," said Jason Clay with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "While there was only one lion that attacked the boy, this other event here is important to note too. By policy, this is how a separate event, even if they are in proximity, that’s how it would be handled regardless of this other event."
The boy was in the hospital overnight after the attack that happened as he ran to a friend's house, according to Clay.
> Watch the video above for Thursday's coverage of the boy's attack.
The boy's brother started screaming and ran inside his home to alert his father. He rushed outside and found the mountain lion on top of his son. The mountain lion let go of the child as the father approached and took off running, according to CPW.
"The father saved his son's life in this case," Clay said
The boy was listed in serious but stable condition at last check.
"He had severe injuries due to the attack," said Joe Burgette, the Fire Chief for Platte Canyon Fire District. "He was extremely brave, not only what was going on for him, but also what the firefighters were experiencing with his injuries."
The boy's parents drove him to the Platte Canyon Fire station in Bailey where paramedics took over treatment. The boy's injuries were serious enough for the firefighters to make the decision that it would take too long for a helicopter to arrive and transport the child.
"He was self assuring to the firefighters, which for a young man that age is remarkable," Burgette said. "It’s probably one of the things that stands out to them the most, the bravery that young man exhibited to them in assuring to them that they were doing a good job and he was going to be ok."
Throughout the day Thursday, CPW wildlife officers received numerous reports of mountain lion sightings near the search that was taking place to look for the lion responsible for biting the boy on the head.
Following Thursday’s search and removal of the two lions that killed a domestic goat, CPW said it received reports of three more mountain lions on the same property.
No additional goats were reported missing or dead as of Friday morning, CPW said.
CPW also received trail camera photos of multiple mountain lions the day of the attack in close proximity to the attack site. Officials are urging residents of the Burland Ranchettes Subdivision to remain vigilant.
“People need to take mitigating measures to protect their livestock, their pets and talk with their children on what they need to do if they happen to see a mountain lion,” Area Wildlife Manager Mark Lamb said. “We heard from many residents yesterday of the mountain lions that had been in the area, and the activity of them feeding heavily on deer, as mountain lions do. If you have deer hanging around your property, never feed them and we encourage you to haze them or other wildlife off of your property by yelling, blowing an air horn or whatever you need to do to make them go away.
“We don’t want people to panic, they are very aware of all the wildlife that lives around them, but the proper precautions need to be taken. There are obligations that people must be committed to for living responsibly with wildlife.”
Of the two mountain lions euthanized, both were young-adult males, weighing around 65 pounds. An examination of the canine tooth length suggested an estimated age of about one-year-old.
The stomach contents of the mountain lions were full of goat tissue, according to CPW.
DNA samples from both lions will be sent to the University of Wyoming Forensics Lab on Friday for testing to see if one of them matches DNA of the mountain lion involved in the attack on the child that occurred on Wednesday.
CPW wildlife officers have one trap set at the attack site, but until DNA test results come back, there are no plans for actively searching for additional mountain lions with a dog team.
If a mountain lion is caught in a trap, it will be held alive at a CPW facility while DNA samples are tested. If those come back negative, that mountain lion would be relocated.
Wildlife officers will continue to monitor lion activity in the Burland area. Residents are encouraged to keep reporting mountain lion sightings or activity near their homes by calling CPW’s Denver office at 303-291-7227 or calling Colorado State Patrol at 303-239-4501 after business hours.
This is the third mountain lion attack reported this year in Colorado. The last time three attacks occurred within the same year was in 1998, according to CPW.
A hunter was attacked by a mountain lion while scouting locations to track elk near Kremmling earlier this month.
That mountain lion, which CPW spokesperson Mike Porras described as “very aggressive,” was shot and killed by wildlife officers the next morning
Porras said the hunter encountered the mountain lion at around 8:45 p.m. on Aug 10. When he noticed it was following him, Porras said the hunter faced the animal and started walking backward, keeping his eyes on the lion.
In February, a trail runner was taken to a hospital after he said he was attacked and had to kill a mountain lion at Horsetooth Mountain Park west of Fort Collins.
Travis Kauffman left for what he believed would be just another trail run in the foothills west of Fort Collins at noon on Feb. 4. He ran through the windy trails of Lory State Park, and up the challenging Towers Road. He was planning on summiting Horsetooth Rock, but as he was headed up the West Ridge Trail, he heard a twig snap.
That’s when he found himself in a fight for his life with a 40-pound mountain lion. The animal scratched and clawed at him, leaving him with a gash on his face and puncture wounds that resulted in 20 stitches. He has a bandage on his arm from when the mountain lion latched onto his wrist. He ultimately was able to beat the animal with a rock, and stepped on its neck until it was unconscious.
Kauffman said he then ran three miles to another trailhead. Another trail runner who had been headed in the opposite direction ran that last mile with him, and they met a couple who helped make sure he got to the hospital.
Despite these recent attacks, lion attacks on people are rare, with fewer than a dozen fatalities in North America in more than 100 years, according to CPW's website.
Since 1990, there have been 22 mountain lion attacks on humans in Colorado with three of those resulting in a fatality (1991, 1997 and 1999)
With the continued increase in Colorado’s population numbers along with healthy wildlife populations, CPW said all Coloradans and visitors to the state need to do their part to keep our wildlife wild.
To reduce the risk of problems with mountain lions on or near your property, CPW urges you to follow these simple precautions:
- Make lots of noise if you come and go during the times mountain lions are most active: dusk to dawn.
- Install outside lighting. Light areas where you walk so you could see a lion if one were present.
- Landscape or remove vegetation to eliminate hiding places for lions. Make it difficult for lions to approach unseen.
- Planting non-native shrubs and plants that deer often prefer to eat encourages wildlife to come onto your property. Predators follow prey.
- Don't feed any wildlife.
- 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.
Encourage your neighbors to follow these simple precautions. Prevention is far better than a possible lion confrontation.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS