Mountain lion swats at 11-year-old girl checking on chickens, Colorado officials say
A mountain lion was euthanized in Colorado after it swatted the face of an 11-year-old girl, officials said.
The girl was checking on her family’s chickens when she found one dead on the ground, according to a May 11 news release by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department of Natural Resources. When she opened the wooden hen house, the mountain lion hidden inside swatted her.
“This was a small mountain lion probably just looking for an easy meal in the chicken coop,” said Sean Shepherd, area wildlife manager, according to the release. “The victim likely surprised the lion. It probably felt threatened and it swatted at her as she entered.”
The big cat’s swipe left punctures on the girl’s cheek, and she was treated at a Chaffee County hospital, officials said.
Wildlife officers responded to the rural home and found the young mountain lion “still in the wire mesh coop,” according to the release.
The animal was euthanized and sent to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife animal health lab to be examined, officials said. It will be tested for potential infections that could have influenced its behavior.
Buena Vista is about 120 miles southwest of Denver.
What to do if you see a mountain lion
Mountain lions are typically “calm, quiet and elusive,” according to the National Park Service. While attacks involving mountain lions are rare, they are possible.
“Even so, the potential for being killed or injured by a mountain lion is quite low compared to many other natural hazards,” the National Park Service said on its website. “There is a far greater risk, for example, of being killed in an automobile accident with a deer than of being attacked by a mountain lion.”
Officials said there are some things you do take to prevent a mountain lion encounter from becoming an attack.
Stay calm and back away slowly.
Face the lion and stand up straight.
Don’t approach a mountain lion, especially if it’s with kittens.
Don’t run. It could stimulate a mountain lion’s chase instincts.
Pick up small children so they don’t panic or run away.
Don’t bend over or crouch down.
Throw things at the mountain lion if it continues to move toward you.
If the mountain lion attacks, fight back using anything around you.
Report all sightings, encounters or attacks to local park rangers or law enforcement.
This story was originally published May 12, 2023 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Mountain lion swats at 11-year-old girl checking on chickens, Colorado officials say."