Suspected mountain lion attack in Colorado leaves woman dead

(CNN) — A woman was found dead Thursday on a hiking trail in northern Colorado, in what authorities believe to be a rare fatal mountain lion attack.

Hikers on the Crosier Mountain trail in Larimer County spotted a mountain lion near a person lying on the ground around 12:15 p.m., according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The hikers drove the animal away by throwing rocks before finding the victim had no pulse.

“Mountain lion attacks in Colorado are considered to be very rare,” CPW spokesperson Kara Van Hoose said at a news conference. While 28 previous attacks have been reported to CPW since 1990, the last fatal attack was in 1999, the agency said.

The Larimer County coroner is expected to release the victim’s identity and cause of death, Van Noose said.

Wildlife involved in attacks on humans must be euthanized for public safety, CPW said. The animals will be tested for human DNA to determine whether they were responsible for the attack and will also be examined for any abnormalities or neurological diseases like rabies and avian influenza.

Colorado is home to an estimated 3,800 to 4,000 mountain lions with populations growing since they were classified as a big game species in 1965, according to CPW’s website.

Living mostly in brushy areas and woodlands in low elevation, the animals largely prey on deer and elk.

CPW advises anyone who encounters a mountain lion to make noise, hold objects overhead to appear bigger and slowly back away.

CPW, which is leading the investigation, said officers shot at a lion on the scene, and later tracked and euthanized it. Another lion in the area was also euthanized by officers.