A mother saved her five year old son from a mountain lion attack in Colorado.
The attack occurred Friday night. The mother, who is yet to be identified, ran outside when she heard screams. Her five year old son had been playing with an older brother when a mountain lion arrived.
“[She] was able to physically remove her son from the mountain lion,” reported Alex Burchetta, spokesperson for the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office. “[She] had to physically remove the lion’s paws from her son’s face.”
She received minor injuries to her hands and legs as a result of the altercation. Her son suffered injuries to his face head and neck, but the Aspen Valley Hospital reported that he was in fair condition.
The boy was transferred to a hospital in Denver, Colorado. The mother has been released from the hospital.
“[The increase in mountain lion sightings is] likely due to a growing human population encroaching on lion habitat in conjunction with a robust lion population in the state,” explained Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
According to the CPW, such lion attacks are rarely aimed at humans. Statistically there have been less than a dozen humans killed by mountain lions in North America over the last 100 years.
“Most of the attacks were by young lions, perhaps forced out to hunt on their own and not yet living in established areas,” continued Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “Young lions may key in on easy prey, like pets and small children.”