Mountain lion attacks couple vacationing in hot tub
A mountain lion attacked a couple who were relaxing in a hot tub while on vacation.
The lion approached the couple in an in-ground hot tub on Saturday around 8pm, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
While enjoying the hot tub, the man said he felt something grab his head.
‘He and his wife began screaming and splashing water at the animal,’ stated the wildlife agency on Monday. ‘The victim’s wife grabbed a flashlight and shined it on the animal, which they then identified as a mountain lion.’
The wild feline clawed at the man’s head, leaving him with four shallow scratches on the top of his head as well as near his right ear.
‘We think it’s likely the mountain lion saw the man’s head move in the darkness at ground-level but didn’t recognize the people in the hot tub,’ said Sean Shepherd, an area wildlife manager based in Salida.
‘The couple did the right thing by making noise and shining a light on the lion.
‘Although this victim had only minor injuries, we take this incident seriously.’
The man had cleaned his wounds by the time wildlife agency officials responded and refused medical assistance. However, officers were able to conclude that his scratches were consistent with mountain lion claws.
Light and the ruckus made the mountain lion back away about 20 feet from the hot tub.
‘They continued to scream at the mountain lion and after a short time it moved up to the top of a hill near some rocks where it crouched down and continued to watch the couple,’ the wildlife agency stated.
The couple then went into the safety of the rental home in a wooded subdivision roughly five miles west of Nathrop.
Wildlife officials have posted signs and alerted neighbors and will continue tracking the lion.
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