Boy attacked by mountain lion outside his home
An eight-year-old boy has was bitten on the head by a mountain lion outside his home in rural Colorado in the US.
The attack prompted authorities to euthanise two lions that were found roaming the area.
The boy had been playing with his brother outside their home in the northeastern town of Bailey on Wednesday evening (local time) when he ran to a house next door.
The mountain lion pounced and bit him on the head.
The boy's father rushed outside and found the cat on top of his son, as he approached, the mountain lion let go oh his son and ran off.
Wildlife expert, Rebecca Ferrell, said the boy's father did the right thing and called his actions “heroic”.
"He ran towards it, he was making himself large and loud ... his efforts almost certainly saved his son's life,” Ms Ferrell said.
The boy was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Ms Ferrell said the children's high-pitched voices probably sounded like prey to the mountain lion, and its instinct to attack could have been triggered when the boy started running to his neighbour's house.
There have been 22 mountain lion attacks on people in Colorado since 1990 and three deaths.
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