MONTEZUMA COUNTY, Colo. — A man was clawed by a mountain lion at his home in Montezuma County in southwestern Colorado Sunday night, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said
CPW said it happened around 6:30 p.m. Sunday at a home near the community of Lebanon. The victim, a 47-year-old man, sustained several puncture wounds to his lower right leg. He called dispatch to report the attack, and said he did not want medical treatment.
CPW said the man told them he was inside his home when he heard a thud on his front porch and his dogs inside the house started barking aggressively. He thought his cats might be fighting on the porch, so he went to investigate.
He opened the door and put his leg in it to try to keep his dogs inside the house, CPW said. That's when he felt something grab his leg, then saw a mountain lion run away.
The lion was captured on security camera footage, CPW said.
CPW said the victim had four cats, and two had recently gone missing. They believe the mountain lion had previously visited the home, and returned the night of the attack.
CPW said another mountain lion incident was reported in the same area Feb. 18. That time, a lion attacked chickens and a cat, CPW said.
CPW searched the area for the mountain lion Sunday night and Monday morning, but did not find it. They believe the lion responsible for the attack is young, and has been in the area for a while. They are asking anyone with information about the lion to contact them.
CPW said this is the first time a mountain lion has attacked a human in Colorado since March 11, 2020. It's the 23rd attack to injure a person in Colorado since 1990, and the first in southwestern Colorado since 2008.
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