Boy attacked by mountain lion

Rocky Mountain News ^ | 16 Apr 06

[rellimpank]

BOULDER - A 7-year-old boy hiking with his family was attacked Saturday by a mountain lion, a wildlife official said. The child was in stable condition at Boulder Community Hospital, but details of his injuries were not immediately available.

The boy, whose name was not released, was apparently in a group taking a short hike at a scenic area of Flagstaff Mountain, Division of Wildlife spokesman Tyler Baskfield said.

"The father turned and saw the cat had a hold of the young boy," he said. The group began screaming at the cat and throwing rocks and was able to free the boy, he said

[TYVets]

From the locked thread:

#54 posted on 04/16/2006 11:56:12 AM CDT by Vince Ferrer

If a person wants to insist on being afraid of wild animals, be afraid of a deer on the road at night.

Meeting a mountain lion on a walking trail is a bit different than meeting a deer on a highway.

The difference, your kids are inside a 3,500 lbs metal shield.

Even I can understand that.

[Vince Ferrer]

Vince: If a person wants to insist on being afraid of wild animals, be afraid of a deer on the road at night.

TYVets: Meeting a mountain lion on a walking trail is a bit different than meeting a deer on a highway.

The difference, your kids are inside a 3,500 lbs metal shield.

Even I can understand that.

Vince:

From Mountain Lion Attacks On People in the U.S. and Canada:

A scientific review of records on attacks by cougars on humans in the United States and Canada from 1890 through 1990 indicated there were 53 cougar attacks on humans during this period. There were nine attacks that resulted in 10 human deaths, and 44 non-fatal attacks.

Since that report was published in 1991 (by Professor Paul Beier, a wildlife ecologist at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, formerly of University of California, Berkeley), there have been three documented fatal human attacks in the United States, one in Colorado and two in California. (OC, in 1995) (One additional death occurred in Colorado in 1997 - see next quote)

There have been only two deaths ever in Colorado from lion attacks: a 10-year-old Lakewood boy during a hike in 1997 in Rocky Mountain National Park and an 18-year-old man in 1991 who was jogging near Idaho Springs. There have been only five previously recorded attacks in the state, according to the division of wildlife. (Denver Post, 5/1/98, B-01)

There are four additional attacks that I know of in recent years: One in Mesa Verde, (fought off with no injury), Rocky Mountain Nationa Park (fought off with no injury), the three year old who was camping with his neighbors, whose body was finally found 2 years ago, (fatality), and finally, this article.

How does this compare to deer? from the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association:

26,190 animal-vehicle collisions were reported on Colorado's roadways in the twelve years spanning 1993 to 2004. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), October and November see more animal-vehicle collisions than any other time of year. 490 such collisions were reported across the state in October 2004, and 580 in November 2004.

25 people were killed in animal-vehicle collisions from 1993-2004. 2,266 sustained injuries. 22,388 experienced property damage, according to CDOT.

Or how about just driving deaths in general in Colorado?

2003 644
2002 743
2001 741
2000 681
1999 626
1998 628
1997 612
1996 613
1995 645
1994 586
1993 559