Human DNA found on all four paws of mountain lion that killed hiker in northern Colorado
The Colorado Sun••nation
Key Points:
- A 1-year-old male mountain lion was confirmed to have human DNA on all four paws after it killed 46-year-old hiker Kristen Marie Kovatch in northern Colorado on New Year’s Day, marking the first fatal mountain lion attack in Colorado in over 25 years.
- Kovatch’s autopsy showed injuries consistent with a mountain lion attack, and her cause of death was asphyxia due to external neck compression; two mountain lions were euthanized following the incident, with only the male testing positive for human DNA.
- The attack occurred on the Crosier Mountain trail, a known area for mountain lions where multiple sightings and attacks had been reported in the preceding weeks, prompting warnings and temporary signage about lion activity.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-22400154171-19eb2573d96647f8894478942b5721be.jpg)
