Colorado runner chokes lion to death with bare hands
The runner, a man in his 30s, was out for a run in Larimer County on West Ridge Trial when he was attacked from the behind by an 80-pound lion and bitten on his face and wrist.
By SARA RUBENSTEINUpdated: FEBRUARY 6, 2019 13:29A Colorado man, attacked by a mountain lion on a running trial, slammed a rock on its head, jumped on its back and choked it to death, officials reported on Tuesday.The runner, a man in his 30s, was out for a run in Larimer County on West Ridge Trial when he was attacked from the behind by an 80-pound lion and bitten on his face and wrist. Despite his injuries, he managed to grab a rock and slammed the lion on its head. He then jumped on the lion and choked it to death with his hands, arms and feet.The man, who has not been identified, was hospitalized with serious injuries but is expected to fully recover.An examination of the animal confirmed that the lion had been choked to death, according to Rebecca Ferrell, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.The lion was less than a year old and tested negative for rabies."Mountain lion attacks are not common in Colorado and it is unfortunate that the lion's hunting instincts were triggered by the runner," Ty Petersburg, area wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife told CNN. "This could have had a very different outcome."Officials told CNN that less than 20 people have been killed in North America by mountain lions in more than 100 years, and in Colorado itself, three people have been killed since 1990.