Chilling CCTV footage showing the mountain lions which attacked and killed a woman who was out hiking in the US has been released.
Kristen Marie Kovatch had set off on a hike in the Crosier Mountain Trail in a remote part of Colorado on New Year's Day when she was ambushed by the animals on the trail.
Kovatch's body was later discovered after a pair of hikers encountered her while walking along the same trail later in the day.
The pair noticed one of the wild animals stood over her body and was able to scare it away by throwing rocks, before making the devastating discovery.
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Two mountain lions, a male and female, were later euthanised by park rangers, while the woman was identified as 46-year-old Kristen, a medical assistant and keen ultramarathon runner.
An autopsy into her death revealed that Kristen had died from asphyxia after one of the lions had compressed her neck, according to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office.
Meanwhile, a necropsy conducted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) revealed that one of the two euthanised animals had traces of human DNA on its body.
Officials were previously searching for a third lion believed to have been involved in the attack, but this has since ended.
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It's believed that as many as four of the carnivorous predators were involved in the attack, with CCTV footage showing the animals on the prowl prior to the attack.
Watch the footage below:
"She died doing something she loved deeply, hiking and taking in the beauty of Colorado and its public lands," wrote Kristen's brother Jeffrey Kovatch in a tribute shared on Facebook.
"I keep hoping this is all just a nightmare I’ll wake up from."
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He continued: "Kristen was so loved by our immediate and extended family, her friends, and her coworkers. She was an amazing aunt to my three kids, a tender caretaker to my elderly parents, and my baby sister who I will miss dearly."
Meanwhile, her former employer, UCHealth, where she worked from 2011 until 2021, issued the following statement: "UCHealth is saddened to learn of the tragic death of Kristen Marie Kovatch.
"We extend our heartfelt condolences to her loved ones."
How common are mountain lion attacks in the US?
Mountain lion attacks are considered to be extremely rare in the US and Canada, with around 130 attacks having taken place in the past century, 29 of which (excluding Kovatch's death) were fatal.
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As one of the states with a large proportion of mountain lions, Colorado has seen a total of 28 attacks reported in the state within the past 36 years.
Anyone who comes into contact with a mountain lion is advised to face the lion and back away slowly and throw rocks or sticks at the creature if it becomes aggressive.
Topics: US News, Animals, Environment
Brenna Cooper