A Jogger Killed A Mountain Lion With His Bare Hands After It Attacked Him On A Trail

A jogger in Colorado suffocated an 80-pound mountain lion with his bare hands after the big cat attacked him on a trail.

The man, who has not been identified, was trail running on the West Ridge Trail at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space in Fort Collins when he heard something behind him, according to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

When he turned around, he saw the mountain lion. The animal lunged at him, and bit him on the face and wrist.

The runner, however, fought back. He was able to suffocate the animal with his bare hands, killing it, the CPW confirmed. He didn't use any weapons.

“The runner did everything he could to save his life. In the event of a lion attack you need to do anything in your power to fight back just as this gentleman did,” Mark Leslie, the manager for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northeast Region, said in a statement.

The runner sustained serious injuries, but was able to get himself to a hospital. His injuries aren't life-threatening.

Ty Petersburg, the area wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, stressed in a statement that mountain lion attacks on humans are rare, and it appears the mountain lion's “hunting instincts were triggered by the runner.”

“This could have had a very different outcome,” he said.

The CPW said the mountain lion was a juvenile male, and a necropsy is being performed.

The agency noted the rarity of mountain lion attacks on humans, saying there have been less than 20 fatal attacks in North America in more than 100 years.

It shared on its Twitter account tips for best living peacefully with the big cats.