Mountain Lion Killed By Colorado Jogger Was Orphaned 'Kitten,' Officials Reveal

A young mountain lion that was strangled last month by a Colorado jogger the animal attacked was a 4-month-old orphan, state wildlife officials have revealed.

According to a necropsy, the young male had weighed an estimated 35 or 40 pounds. The inexperienced hunter may have been desperate for prey when he pounced on 31-year-old Travis Kauffman on a scenic trail in Fort Collins.

The mountain lion’s body, which had been partially eaten, likely by his two orphaned siblings, was recovered Feb. 4, the day of the attack.

Officials saw no trace of a mother, according to the necropsy by Colorado Parks and Wildlife veterinarians, which referred to the dead male as a “kitten,” though young mountain lions are usually called cubs.

“Mountain lions are solitary animals, only coming together for breeding,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Jason Clay told NBC News on Friday. “We had no signs of an adult female being anywhere near the scene that day, or in the following days, which is one reason why we think these kittens were orphaned.” Mountain lions are raised by their mothers alone.

To read more on this story, click here: Mountain Lion Killed By Colorado Jogger Was Orphaned 'Kitten,' Officials Reveal


You may be interested in reading: Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run


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Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Wildlife officials say a man who fought off a young mountain lion on a northern Colorado trail killed the animal by suffocating it.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the man was running alone near Fort Collins when the lion attacked him from behind after the movement apparently triggered its hunting instincts.

The runner, whose name hasn’t been released, fought off the cougar, hiked out of the area after Monday’s attack and drove himself to a hospital. He suffered facial cuts, wrist injuries and puncture wounds to his arms, legs and back.

To read more on this story, click here: Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run

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A Mountain Lion Has Been Discovered in Southeast Idaho with a Second Set of Teeth Growing Out of its Head

A mountain lion has been discovered in southeast Idaho with a second set of teeth growing out of its head.

The big cat was killed by an unidentified hunter last week in Weston, who then reported the animal's bizarre deformity to the authorities, Idaho State Journal reports.

Idaho conservation officers, who were sent a photograph of the kill, were shocked to find the year-old lion had a separate set of teeth growing out the left side of its forehead.

Experts have not been able to agree on the cause of the unusual mutation.

One theory is that the mountain lion's extra set of teeth may be remnants from a conjoined twin which died in the womb.

Another is that it is a type of tumor called a teratoma which can sometimes grow other body parts such as hair, teeth, bones - even eyes.

Regional wildlife biologist Zach Lockyer told Idaho State Journal the unusual deformity had left experts stumped.

'It's a bizarre situation and a bizarre photo,' he added. 'We may never know why those teeth are there.'

The hunter which killed the mountain lion had been planning to take the rare kill to a taxidermist.

But Idaho Fish and Game's Southeast Regional Office, in Pocatello, are hoping to bring the carcass in for examination.

They are hoping X-rays and analysis may reveal the mystery to why the big cat developed such a fearsome second set of teeth.

  

A mountain lion with a second set of teeth growing out of its head has been discovered in Southeast Idaho

Experts believe that the big cat may have developed the second set of teeth as part of a rare tumor (stock picture of a typical mountain lion)

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House Cat Seems Unfazed by a Giant Mountain Lion Outside Window

A mountain lion approaches a window and sees a pet cat. The brave kitty doesn’t seem to care, and even turns his back on the lion. The lion hears people talking and decides he’d better leave.

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From an Anteater on a Leash to a Hippo that Gets Massages, Here Are the Weirdest Pets from Around the World

Lions and tigers and bears – oh my! There have always been people who have pushed the pet envelope. Elvis had a kangaroo. George Clooney kept company with a not-so-small potbelly pig. Tippi Hendren and her daughter, Melanie Griffith, owned a pet lion. There are plenty of people who think owning a cat or dog is just too boring. Instead, they bring home exotic, wild, or large game animals. Is it completely crazy or kinda cool? Maybe a little of both. You be the judge. Here are the weirdest pets from around the world.

To read more on this story, click here: From an Anteater on a Leash to a Hippo that Gets Massages, Here Are the Weirdest Pets from Around the World

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Home Surveillance Video Catches Mountain Lion Pouncing on Top of Car

Surveillance video shows a mountain lion pouncing on top of a car in San Jose.

To see video, click here: Mountain Lion Pouncing on Top of Car

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