AZGFD kills 3 mountain lions found feeding on human remains in Tucson
Jan 2, 2020, 4:25 AM | Updated: 2:31 pm
PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department killed three mountain lions after they were found feeding on human remains near Mount Lemmon in Tucson on Tuesday.
The agency said the animals are not suspected of killing the victim but were determined to be a public danger.
“Mountain lions are not routinely scavengers. A mountain lion eating human remains is abnormal behavior,” AZGFD Tucson Regional Supervisor Raul Vega said in a press release Wednesday.
“Those that do are more likely to attack a human being in the future.”
The remains were found off the Pima Canyon Trail at the base of Mount Lemmon shortly after noon.
Officials from the Coronado National Forest briefly shut down the area while the investigation was being conducted.
The area was originally scheduled to be closed until Jan. 14, but it was reopened Wednesday at the recommendation of AZGFD.
There is an autopsy for the human remains scheduled for Thursday. The person has yet to be identified.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
