Man Kills Mountain Lion with Shovel in Self-Defense at Colorado Campground
A dramatic incident unfolded at a campground in Fremont County, Colorado, where a man found himself in a life-threatening situation with a mountain lion. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the man resorted to using a shovel to defend himself against the aggressive wild animal.
CPW received a call about the incident at a campground west of Cañon City on Saturday, Sept. 26. Upon arrival, a CPW officer discovered the man with the body of the lion on the hood of his Jeep.
Reportedly, the man explained that he had killed the mountain lion the night before after it approached him and his dog outside their recreational vehicle. The man’s husky began growling and barking at the cat, which prompted the man to take action. He grabbed a shovel and struck the lion on the head, resulting in its death.
CPW’s initial assessment indicated that the man acted in self-defense out of fear for his life, as the lion exhibited highly aggressive behavior. The animal, identified as a 95-pound female, had injured its right front paw and had scratches on its back. A necropsy was conducted on the lion’s body at an animal health lab.
Fortunately, the man did not sustain any injuries during the encounter, and CPW clarified that this incident does not qualify as an attack since he was not physically harmed by the lion.
It’s worth noting that there have only been 25 reported mountain lion attacks on humans in Colorado since 1990, highlighting the rarity of such incidents in the state.
