RANGERS SUSPECT MOUNTAIN LION KILLED WOMAN IN LARIMER COUNTY ATTACK

UPDATE

A mountain lion is suspected of killing a woman in Larimer County on New Year's Day, the first such tragedy in a quarter century.

The woman's body was found on Crosier Mountain Trail and first responders - with the aid of hounds - tracked down and killed two mountains lion in the vicinity.

It wasn't immediately clear if they were the predators involved.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife provided this account:

At about 12:15 p.m., "hikers reported seeing a mountain lion near a person lying on the ground from approximately 100 yards away. As they approached, the witnesses scared the lion from the area by throwing rocks at the animal. The hikers then attended to the adult woman victim but did not find a pulse." 

"Officers located one lion at the scene, shot the animal and it ran from the area. Officers tracked the mountain lion and it was euthanized. A short time later, a second mountain lion was found nearby and euthanized. It is unknown if one or multiple animals were involved in the suspected attack."

The last fatal mountain attack on a human occurred in 1999, officials said. In July, a mountain lion killed a family dog on a walk with its owners in Boulder. A mountain lion was also suspected in the disappearance of a family dog in Erie in October.

Park rangers advise: "Mountain lions are more visible in winter as they follow deer and elk to lower elevations. If lions are spotted, make noise to scare them from the area, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and start backing away from the animal. Pets should be kept on-leash and not interact with wildlife."  

A state biologist conducting an annual aerial survey of deer herds also assisted in Thursday's search for the killer animals.

[Photo: National Wildlife Foundation]