Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

Three mountain lions euthanized after being found feeding on a human body in Arizona

Wildlife officials in Arizona euthanized three mountain lions this week, after the animals were discovered feeding on the body of a human near a hiking trail north of Tucson.

While authorities do not believe the big cats killed the individual whose remains they were found eating, the Arizona Game and Fish Department killed the mountain lions due to the animals' "abnormal behavior" toward officers.

"Mountain lions are not routinely scavengers. A mountain lion eating human remains is abnormal behavior. Those that do are more likely to attack a human being in the future," AGBFD Regional Supervisor Raul Vega explained to KVOA-TV. "In addition, they did so 50 yards from a popular hiking trail and within sight of homes, and repeatedly showed no fear of responding officers."

Vega added that the cats "were a clear and present danger to public safety."

The Daily Mail reported that "one of the lions was an adult female and the two younger lions weighed more than 100 pounds."

NBC News reported that deputies from the Pima County Sheriff's Department found the human remains "while investigating an incident" on the Pima Canyon Trail on Monday and that authorities believe the individual was already dead before the mountain lions found the body.

According to KVOA, the bodies of the three euthanized mountain lions are being preserved as potential evidence in the investigation into the death of the person found off the trail. An autopsy for the victim was scheduled for Thursday.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/three-mountain-lions-euthanized-after-being-found-feeding-on-a-human-body-in-arizona?utm_source=theblaze-dailyAM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Newsletter__AM%202020-01-03&utm_term=TheBlaze%20Daily%20AM%20-%20last%20270%20days

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I believe the cats were just being cats that found an easy meal and should not have been killed. They are beautiful animals.

Gatsby

Those "beautiful" cats were verified "man-eaters", and repeatedly showed no fear of humans.

Perhaps you'd like to have had them "relocated" to a school bus stop, near you and yours?

In my opinion, Arizona should expand their hunting season on Mountain Lions.

Weewillynobeerspilly Loc: North central Texas

I would tend to agree with you, they were being who they are supposed to be.

I disagree when they stated the animals were behaving abnormally, i have owned many, many exotics over the years. ..i don'tcare how they feel the animal should have reacted, they reacted as I would expect form a predator standing over a food source..........normally the cats would have hit the shadows, not when feeding......they will defend that to the end, animal instinct in that situation cannot dee,ed abnormal.
I bet they would get an abnormal reaction from my large dog if they interrupted his cow femur bone time, friendly as all get out, you can take her food dish while she's eating. ....the raw bone brings out something instinctive, do not disturb.

Why would they expect anything different from a wild animal? Poor reason to eliminate some cats doing what they do.

Oldsailor65 Loc: Iowa

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

I agree. With humans continued encroachment on these animals habitat, there will be more such incidents as the animals try to survive.

woodguru

Meanwhile my neighbor and I killed or had the county trapper kill eight mountain lions in a 15 month period. There were too many displaced lions from the kink fire that burned tens of thousands of acres of prime lion habitat. Lions can't decimate people's sheep and goats without being eliminated.

Meanwhile we have had a pair of lions behind us that seems to be satisfied with deer for the last year, so we leave them alone, when they kill another goat I will eliminate them.

Weewillynobeerspilly Loc: North central Texas

Makes sense, sometimes the herd needs some culling to keep it healthy......damn mountain lions....goats aint for eating

Tug484

That is very upsetting.

Sensible Woman

Yes, they are big, beautiful animals, that are also wild, amazingly powerful predators, who normally do not eat what they do not kill!!! Sounds like maybe a momma & 2 babies close to weaning.
50 yards from a hiking trail is 49 3/4 yards too close for comfort for me!!!
It will be interesting to find out what actually happened to the poor human they were snacking on!!!

teabag09

I agree 100%. Wild animals work really hard to get food and aren't about to give it up easily especially to something they don't understand to be threatening. A bear, bigger and stronger, a wolf pack, stronger and more numerous, but a couple of people who by the way they are munching on, no. Total waste of good wild life and total mis-understanding by said Wildlife dummies. Mike

teabag09

Why not have them relocated? Too expensive for you? Kind of like having them aborted huh! I used to have some respect for you but as time goes on you are a worm! Mike