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        Woman Fights Off Mountain Lion That Attacked Her 5-year-old Son

   by Associated Press

   A Colorado woman saved her 5-year-old son's life by prying his head
   from the mouth of a mountain lion that was attacking the boy in their
   front yard, authorities said Saturday.

   The mother heard screaming Friday evening while the boy was playing
   with his brother outside their home near the resort town of Aspen,
   Pitkin County sheriff's deputy Michael Buglione said.

   She ran outside, saw her son struggling with the animal and rushed to
   his aid.

   "She said the mountain lion was on top of her son, crouched down on top
   of him," Buglione said. "She grabbed a paw and lifted it up, and put
   her right hand in its mouth to pry the boy out of its mouth so the boy
   could get free."

   The animal ran off.

   The boy suffered deep cuts to his face, head and neck and was taken to
   a Denver hospital, Buglione said. The mother had bite marks on her hand
   and scratches on her leg. She was treated and released. Their names
   were not released.

   Not fully grown

   The mountain lion was estimated to be about 2 years old and not fully
   grown. Wildlife officials killed two mountain lions in the area within
   several hours of the attack. Both animals were being examined to
   determine if they were hungry, diseased or just in the wrong place at
   the wrong time.

   Colorado is home to up to 4,500 mountain lions, and they sometimes
   wander into urban areas looking for food, according to state wildlife
   officials. Since 1990, mountain lions have killed three people and
   injured 18 in the state.

   "They're wild animals. They find habitat where they can forage for
   food," Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Matt Robbins said. "When
   you have bunnies, you're likely to find foxes or coyotes. If you have
   deer, there is a good chance you'll find mountain lions."

   The last known lion attack on a human in Colorado occurred in July
   2015, wildlife officials said. A young lion attacked a man as he fished
   north of Dotsero, about 60 miles from where Friday's attack occurred.
   The man suffered scratches and bites on his back and was treated at a
   local clinic and released.

   The lion in that incident, described as a small, yearling male, was
   tracked and killed.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/woman-son-mountain-lion-attack/3382484.html