MONTEZUMA COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is searching for a mountain lion after a man was attacked at his home near the community of Lebanon on Feb. 27.
Michael D. Warren told wildlife officers he heard his dogs barking aggressively around 6:30 p.m. and went to investigate thinking his domestic cats may have been fighting. When he opened the door, he set his right leg out on the porch and was clawed by a mountain lion. Security camera video confirms it was, in fact, a mountain lion that attacked him, CPW said.
“This is an ongoing investigation,” CPW district wildlife manager Matt Sturdevant said. “We are still looking into it and want to make sure we get the right offending lion. Any help from the surrounding area and the public would be helpful.”
The 47-year-old man sustained several puncture wounds to his lower right leg in the attack but did not accept medical treatment.
CPW and other wildlife officers searched for the feline that evening and the next day. Tracking hounds trained to find mountain lions were released but the animal was not located. A trap has been set up near Warren’s house as well.
Two of Warren’s four pet cats have recently gone missing, leading CPW to believe the mountain lion had been to the house before.
Another attack was reported in the area on Feb. 18 involving the plundering of a cat and some chickens, CPW said.
“Judging by the tracks we found and the footage we have along with the victim’s statement, we believe it is a young, sub-adult lion,” Sturdevant said. “We also believe it is the same lion that had been hanging out in the area for a bit.”
Warren’s attack is the first reported in nearly two years, the last recorded on March 11, 2020. It’s the 23rd known mountain lion attack causing human injury in 32 years. It’s the first attack in southwest Colorado since 2008. There have only been three deadly attacks since 1990.
Mountain lion activity has been high in Boulder as of late with more than 20 reports of sightings or encounters since Jan. 15. CPW captured and released a young cat found under the deck of a home just last week.