This Guy Strangled the Mountain Lion That Attacked Him
Russ Chastain 02.07.19
A runner in Colorado was reportedly attacked by a mountain lion — so he choked it to death. I ain’t kidding.
The attack occurred as the man, who has not been publicly identified, was running on West Ridge Trail in Horsetooth Mountain Park. He heard something behind him, and when he turned he was faced with one big cat.
He knew the recommended routine to avoid attack, so he yelled and waved his arms above his head. It didn’t work; the deadly cat pounced on him. As they say, ‘a struggle ensued.’
When it pounced anyway, he blocked the cat with his forearms. The animal bit his face and then his wrist and wouldn’t let go… So he picked up a rock with his free hand and pounded its head. Still the cat persisted. Then he put it in a headlock and wrestled it, finally jumping on its back and — using his hands, arms and feet — choked the beast to death, [CPW spokeswoman Rebecca] Ferrell said.
‘It’s an amazing story. Everyone is baffled and impressed,’ she said. ‘He had no weapons, no knives or trekking poles with him.’
The 30-something-year-old man reportedly drove himself to a hospital where he was treated for cuts, scratches, and puncture wounds to his face, arms, legs, and back, as well as a wrist injury.
The cat’s carcass was recovered from the site and reportedly tested negative for rabies.
Historically speaking, attacks on humans by big cats may be on the rise in Colorado.
Over the past 100 years, only 20 people in North America have died from a cougar attack, the CPW said. But in Colorado, the cats have killed three people and injured 16 since 1990.
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The last previous mountain lion attack on a person in Colorado was reported in June 2016 in Pitkin County.
Kudos to this guy for his will to survive. But hopefully he’ll pack a gun from now on!
