Mountain lion caught in hot tub on the hunt | US News

Colorado is hunting for a mountain lion who scratched his head while bathing in a hot tub with his wife.

The couple were resting at their rental home in a wooded area in Nathrop on Saturday night.

The man felt something grab his head and screamed when he realized it was a lion, officials said.

He continued to yell at and splash water on the curious cat while his wife shone a flashlight in its direction, eventually forcing the animal to retreat to the top of the hill.

It continues to watch the couple from its new vantage point.

They managed to get home and clean the man’s wounds (four scratches on the top of his head and near his right ear) before calling the property owner, who works for the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Wildlife officials set traps for the lions but were unable to find any signs in the snow and ice covering the area.

Nathrop is a mountain region known for its great outdoors.

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Why do lions attack?

Saturday’s encounter was the first reported mountain lion attack in Colorado since February 2022.

Sean Shepherd, a local wildlife ranger, said the animal may not have seen the couple while investigating the tub.

“We think the cougar probably saw the man’s head moving in the darkness of the ground, but didn’t recognize the man in the hot tub,” he said.

“The couple did the right thing by making noise and shining lights on the lions.”

Since 1990, at least 27 people have been injured and three killed in mountain lion attacks in Colorado.

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