- - Search ends for mountain lion in fatal New Year's Day Colorado attack

Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY January 6, 2026 at 6:16 AM

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Search ends for mountain lion in fatal New Year's Day Colorado attack

Colorado wildlife authorities have ended their search for mountain lions along a hiking trail where a woman was killed in a mountain lion attack on New Year's Day, the state's first fatal attack since 1999.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife launched an extensive search for the mountain lion involved in the attack, and two mountain lions were found in the area of the Crosier Mountain Trail on Jan. 1. They were both euthanized in accordance with agency policy, Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told the Coloradoan, part of the USA TODAY Network.

On Jan. 5, the state wildlife authorities said they ended an active search for a third mountain lion in the area. The agency said the trail was reopened to the public and advised visitors to report mountain lion sightings or incidents to wildlife authorities.

"(Colorado Parks and Wildlife) officers, federal agency staff and houndsmen with trained dogs searched thoroughly for more than 72 hours," the agency said in a news release. "No fresh tracks or scents were detected."

with a moorhen, framed by a rainbow reflected in the water, feeding at John Yarbrough Linear Park in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025.

" style=padding-bottom:56%>Every year, USA TODAY Network photojournalists find beauty in wildlife within their local communities. Their visuals are both stunning and informative, allowing viewers an up-close look into the natural world, the challenges facing us and the humans who are attempting to conserve life on Earth. See USA TODAY'S Pictures of the Year 2025, beginning here with a moorhen, framed by a rainbow reflected in the water, feeding at John Yarbrough Linear Park in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/QS3dj.ZvCzwil02T4f7AlA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03MjI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/7f3b5249618fc8156a1e5e7d18f02580 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

Every year, USA TODAY Network photojournalists find beauty in wildlife within their local communities. Their visuals are both stunning and informative, allowing viewers an up-close look into the natural world, the challenges facing us and the humans who are attempting to conserve life on Earth. See USA TODAY'S Pictures of the Year 2025, beginning here with a moorhen, framed by a rainbow reflected in the water, feeding at John Yarbrough Linear Park in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025.

">Every year, USA TODAY Network photojournalists find beauty in wildlife within their local communities. Their visuals are both stunning and informative, allowing viewers an up-close look into the natural world, the challenges facing us and the humans who are attempting to conserve life on Earth. See USA TODAY'S Pictures of the Year 2025, beginning here with a moorhen, framed by a rainbow reflected in the water, feeding at John Yarbrough Linear Park in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/QS3dj.ZvCzwil02T4f7AlA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03MjI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/7f3b5249618fc8156a1e5e7d18f02580 class=caas-img>A swallowtail butterfly lands on a Liatris spicata plant in bloom with a bee on top in a "hell strip" pollinator garden in Indianapolis, Ind., July 10, 2025. A hell strip garden is a small strip of land between a sidewalk and street.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/z.ffehqgUCa5.VCK5ZS20A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MzU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ff3d176c72bfc47279c304a35164b21b class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A swallowtail butterfly lands on a Liatris spicata plant in bloom with a bee on top in a "hell strip" pollinator garden in Indianapolis, Ind., July 10, 2025. A hell strip garden is a small strip of land between a sidewalk and street.

">A swallowtail butterfly lands on a Liatris spicata plant in bloom with a bee on top in a "hell strip" pollinator garden in Indianapolis, Ind., July 10, 2025. A hell strip garden is a small strip of land between a sidewalk and street.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/z.ffehqgUCa5.VCK5ZS20A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MzU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/ff3d176c72bfc47279c304a35164b21b class=caas-img>

A Bigg’s/transient orca surfaces next to a pair of jet skiers in Dyes Inlet off the shore of Tracyton, Wash., July 19, 2025. Washington State law states that watercraft must stay a minimum 200 yards away, parallel to Bigg’s/transient killer whales and must not park in the path within 400 yards of them.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/DY0bY2Ke8hQicqntkVQVqg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02NTM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e498fd933ebf77269fe939c779657ca3 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A Bigg’s/transient orca surfaces next to a pair of jet skiers in Dyes Inlet off the shore of Tracyton, Wash., July 19, 2025. Washington State law states that watercraft must stay a minimum 200 yards away, parallel to Bigg’s/transient killer whales and must not park in the path within 400 yards of them.

">A Bigg’s/transient orca surfaces next to a pair of jet skiers in Dyes Inlet off the shore of Tracyton, Wash., July 19, 2025. Washington State law states that watercraft must stay a minimum 200 yards away, parallel to Bigg’s/transient killer whales and must not park in the path within 400 yards of them.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/DY0bY2Ke8hQicqntkVQVqg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02NTM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e498fd933ebf77269fe939c779657ca3 class=caas-img>

A female osprey feeds her chick a piece of a fish along the St. Lucie River in downtown Stuart, Fla., March 24, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/JMmx0B_U9LxxVpGhXFwSRA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04ODc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a60b0ceea8cc4b0d25114bcbe39d07bc class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A female osprey feeds her chick a piece of a fish along the St. Lucie River in downtown Stuart, Fla., March 24, 2025.

">A female osprey feeds her chick a piece of a fish along the St. Lucie River in downtown Stuart, Fla., March 24, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/JMmx0B_U9LxxVpGhXFwSRA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04ODc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/a60b0ceea8cc4b0d25114bcbe39d07bc class=caas-img>An elk grazes in a field next to the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park, Co., on June 1, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/1MzST3BC9TznjUyN6_f5vA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/9857a94a8e13900ad9d12ee999f59ab7 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

An elk grazes in a field next to the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park, Co., on June 1, 2025.

">An elk grazes in a field next to the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park, Co., on June 1, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/1MzST3BC9TznjUyN6_f5vA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/9857a94a8e13900ad9d12ee999f59ab7 class=caas-img>A large number of manatees migrate into the warmer waters of Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Fla., Jan. 9, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fiKH.zQH_dHxRzOwYt9boQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NjU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/809cacc4a1ac6f64abcc95061e81be06 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A large number of manatees migrate into the warmer waters of Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Fla., Jan. 9, 2025.

">A large number of manatees migrate into the warmer waters of Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Fla., Jan. 9, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/fiKH.zQH_dHxRzOwYt9boQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NjU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/809cacc4a1ac6f64abcc95061e81be06 class=caas-img>

Eagles fly and play around the steam let off by the smoke stacks above the DTE Energy Monroe Power Plant in Monroe, Mich., Jan. 25, 2025. The warm water discharge at the power plant keeps the water from freezing unlike Lake Eire which attracts a variety of fish and anywhere between 60 to 150 eagles on the property.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GbnMZ42_tN.7j847EPa9AQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1345f217dbc83e95d05238bd0f20f866 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

Eagles fly and play around the steam let off by the smoke stacks above the DTE Energy Monroe Power Plant in Monroe, Mich., Jan. 25, 2025. The warm water discharge at the power plant keeps the water from freezing unlike Lake Eire which attracts a variety of fish and anywhere between 60 to 150 eagles on the property.

">Eagles fly and play around the steam let off by the smoke stacks above the DTE Energy Monroe Power Plant in Monroe, Mich., Jan. 25, 2025. The warm water discharge at the power plant keeps the water from freezing unlike Lake Eire which attracts a variety of fish and anywhere between 60 to 150 eagles on the property.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GbnMZ42_tN.7j847EPa9AQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1345f217dbc83e95d05238bd0f20f866 class=caas-img>

A cold stunned iguana lays on the ground in Howard Park as temperatures dipped into the mid 40's in West Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 11, 2025,

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YSWNMxkZKadyGAPCjWBQ0A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04ODA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/251e673d115e0d77f2ccb2d671806d61 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A cold stunned iguana lays on the ground in Howard Park as temperatures dipped into the mid 40's in West Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 11, 2025,

">A cold stunned iguana lays on the ground in Howard Park as temperatures dipped into the mid 40's in West Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 11, 2025,

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YSWNMxkZKadyGAPCjWBQ0A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04ODA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/251e673d115e0d77f2ccb2d671806d61 class=caas-img>

A barn spider rests on a web at Simmons Memorial Park in Webberville, Mich., Oct. 14, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/_J6CMMH4diPAEaqSTJ_1Kw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0d886de00ac79fe34b46aef61407eeb5 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A barn spider rests on a web at Simmons Memorial Park in Webberville, Mich., Oct. 14, 2025.

">A barn spider rests on a web at Simmons Memorial Park in Webberville, Mich., Oct. 14, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/_J6CMMH4diPAEaqSTJ_1Kw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/0d886de00ac79fe34b46aef61407eeb5 class=caas-img>Horseshoe crabs are seen along the Plum Island section of Sandy Hook at sunrise on the morning after a full moon in Highlands, N.J., June 12, 2025. Mating and spawning occurs around a full or new moon during the months of May and June.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YG6XnY2tGUzL_0ytG9iDjA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MzI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/7b452a31f45af1d9599d977f45556540 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

Horseshoe crabs are seen along the Plum Island section of Sandy Hook at sunrise on the morning after a full moon in Highlands, N.J., June 12, 2025. Mating and spawning occurs around a full or new moon during the months of May and June.

">Horseshoe crabs are seen along the Plum Island section of Sandy Hook at sunrise on the morning after a full moon in Highlands, N.J., June 12, 2025. Mating and spawning occurs around a full or new moon during the months of May and June.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YG6XnY2tGUzL_0ytG9iDjA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MzI-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/7b452a31f45af1d9599d977f45556540 class=caas-img>A cattle egret is seen with a frog in western St. Lucie County, Fla., Dec. 11, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LZ3qij3l2u3RGi0WCuM0Cg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e545a49640131a8ad2bbcfd2fedc9dc2 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A cattle egret is seen with a frog in western St. Lucie County, Fla., Dec. 11, 2025.

">A cattle egret is seen with a frog in western St. Lucie County, Fla., Dec. 11, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/LZ3qij3l2u3RGi0WCuM0Cg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e545a49640131a8ad2bbcfd2fedc9dc2 class=caas-img>

On World Sea Turtle Day, the Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center released a green sea turtle named Vader at Pelican Beach Park in Satellite Beach on June 16, 2025. Vader was found in April struggling to swim with fishing line wrapped so tightly around it, the line prevented Vader from breathing properly, making raspy breaths akin to Darth Vader. In honor of his release, Star Wars characters came to the release to see Vader head back into the ocean.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/j2zgthC5ZL0qVZ3wLfV2TA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NTM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d04c0e95b99b0942b92f1457adf406be class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

On World Sea Turtle Day, the Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center released a green sea turtle named Vader at Pelican Beach Park in Satellite Beach on June 16, 2025. Vader was found in April struggling to swim with fishing line wrapped so tightly around it, the line prevented Vader from breathing properly, making raspy breaths akin to Darth Vader. In honor of his release, Star Wars characters came to the release to see Vader head back into the ocean.

">On World Sea Turtle Day, the Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center released a green sea turtle named Vader at Pelican Beach Park in Satellite Beach on June 16, 2025. Vader was found in April struggling to swim with fishing line wrapped so tightly around it, the line prevented Vader from breathing properly, making raspy breaths akin to Darth Vader. In honor of his release, Star Wars characters came to the release to see Vader head back into the ocean.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/j2zgthC5ZL0qVZ3wLfV2TA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NTM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d04c0e95b99b0942b92f1457adf406be class=caas-img>A barred owl perches at Six Mile Cypress Slough in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 18, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/NlW02aldjKTgDcNNSj7_Eg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/da43cbce56311483e4b3296606122b58 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A barred owl perches at Six Mile Cypress Slough in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 18, 2025.

">A barred owl perches at Six Mile Cypress Slough in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 18, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/NlW02aldjKTgDcNNSj7_Eg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02OTg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/da43cbce56311483e4b3296606122b58 class=caas-img>A pair of honey bees search for some nectar in Fort Myers, Fla., Oct. 13, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ErrrNsA1mRnI7HeE_5yUdg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MTQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/96542647d169d35611b9045662a9c35e class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A pair of honey bees search for some nectar in Fort Myers, Fla., Oct. 13, 2025.

">A pair of honey bees search for some nectar in Fort Myers, Fla., Oct. 13, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/ErrrNsA1mRnI7HeE_5yUdg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MTQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/96542647d169d35611b9045662a9c35e class=caas-img>

A chum salmon swims up stream from the mouth of Chico Creek on on the Kitsap, Wash., peninsula on Oct. 29, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/3sF1JO1TkPVyqGVLrIWc.A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MzE-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d806e0dca556426fa3f23a52a5dac0b5 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A chum salmon swims up stream from the mouth of Chico Creek on on the Kitsap, Wash., peninsula on Oct. 29, 2025.

">A chum salmon swims up stream from the mouth of Chico Creek on on the Kitsap, Wash., peninsula on Oct. 29, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/3sF1JO1TkPVyqGVLrIWc.A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MzE-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d806e0dca556426fa3f23a52a5dac0b5 class=caas-img>

Camper Declan Campbell, 5, holds a worm he found during Natural Science Summer Day Camp at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, N.Y., Aug. 21, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/sh4U2EH8VeIIVqYCeddmKw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/36c08f932717d01687f1d6c942efadc5 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

Camper Declan Campbell, 5, holds a worm he found during Natural Science Summer Day Camp at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, N.Y., Aug. 21, 2025.

">Camper Declan Campbell, 5, holds a worm he found during Natural Science Summer Day Camp at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, N.Y., Aug. 21, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/sh4U2EH8VeIIVqYCeddmKw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/36c08f932717d01687f1d6c942efadc5 class=caas-img>Ducks walk on frozen lake at Myriad Botanical Gardens during snowfall in Oklahoma City, Okla., Jan. 9, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/uWdXYyslU7AuDF.dFcvoVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/08670917f809c962532fd0e9f9e90703 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

Ducks walk on frozen lake at Myriad Botanical Gardens during snowfall in Oklahoma City, Okla., Jan. 9, 2025.

">Ducks walk on frozen lake at Myriad Botanical Gardens during snowfall in Oklahoma City, Okla., Jan. 9, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/uWdXYyslU7AuDF.dFcvoVQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/08670917f809c962532fd0e9f9e90703 class=caas-img>A black-tailed fawn gingerly makes their way up a private drive near Brownsville, Wash., June 5, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0zW1QEwBN97lhMxfoLPlAw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMDA5/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d6be604dc200dcc561a9a4e77280c856 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A black-tailed fawn gingerly makes their way up a private drive near Brownsville, Wash., June 5, 2025.

">A black-tailed fawn gingerly makes their way up a private drive near Brownsville, Wash., June 5, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/0zW1QEwBN97lhMxfoLPlAw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMDA5/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d6be604dc200dcc561a9a4e77280c856 class=caas-img>

A flock of roseate spoonbills come in for a landing at New Pass between Lovers Key and Bonita Springs beach in Fort Meyers Beach, Fla., Nov. 4, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/K8EuGQZBldKO0T.23YLkaQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02ODA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/773b993ec6dd18c41c983b3ea633bf8a class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A flock of roseate spoonbills come in for a landing at New Pass between Lovers Key and Bonita Springs beach in Fort Meyers Beach, Fla., Nov. 4, 2025.

">A flock of roseate spoonbills come in for a landing at New Pass between Lovers Key and Bonita Springs beach in Fort Meyers Beach, Fla., Nov. 4, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/K8EuGQZBldKO0T.23YLkaQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02ODA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/773b993ec6dd18c41c983b3ea633bf8a class=caas-img>A juvenile rabbit munches on a plant along the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale, Wash., June 2, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OCrN9Dhl8eqHwxAtC55bBg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NzQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/19540bdc8c05624d21a844f35ed9b087 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A juvenile rabbit munches on a plant along the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale, Wash., June 2, 2025.

">A juvenile rabbit munches on a plant along the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale, Wash., June 2, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/OCrN9Dhl8eqHwxAtC55bBg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD03NzQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/19540bdc8c05624d21a844f35ed9b087 class=caas-img>An osprey grabs a fish out of one of the ponds at the Bailey Tract at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in in Sanibel, Fla., April 1, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/yj4ie_FyZRxG.aBwlZEWbw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02NzM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1291b88708b4c493fede344adb38cf6b class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

An osprey grabs a fish out of one of the ponds at the Bailey Tract at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in in Sanibel, Fla., April 1, 2025.

">An osprey grabs a fish out of one of the ponds at the Bailey Tract at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in in Sanibel, Fla., April 1, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/yj4ie_FyZRxG.aBwlZEWbw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD02NzM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1291b88708b4c493fede344adb38cf6b class=caas-img>A garter snake slithers through the grass at the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale, Wash., March 26, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4aAHN453d2BXVXk5lsgRkg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05NTE-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d384910a3d7efeae41a96bb390c06056 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A garter snake slithers through the grass at the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale, Wash., March 26, 2025.

">A garter snake slithers through the grass at the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale, Wash., March 26, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4aAHN453d2BXVXk5lsgRkg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05NTE-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/d384910a3d7efeae41a96bb390c06056 class=caas-img>Pigeons land and wait out heavy snow on a power line in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 10, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/n3SW.6Efg3mxyW7578GqsQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MTc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e8f15d8d3bb29d93f2c831bb9ec0523c class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

Pigeons land and wait out heavy snow on a power line in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 10, 2025.

">Pigeons land and wait out heavy snow on a power line in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 10, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/n3SW.6Efg3mxyW7578GqsQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MTc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e8f15d8d3bb29d93f2c831bb9ec0523c class=caas-img>

American white pelicans huddle up as cooler temperatures blanket Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/9714iyl.KFiJLJpjEdxhfQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0zMDg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/647329cafb537d9754a03d48350a6077 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

American white pelicans huddle up as cooler temperatures blanket Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025.

">American white pelicans huddle up as cooler temperatures blanket Fort Myers Beach, Fla., Jan. 23, 2025.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/9714iyl.KFiJLJpjEdxhfQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0zMDg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/647329cafb537d9754a03d48350a6077 class=caas-img>

A black-crowned night heron perches on a branch at Kiwanis Lake, May 12, 2025, in York City.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/gJfB4BDGvFtJ0sIx5MPCIA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNTUz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/6f0c968be1b86e1affcd152b9cc457c0 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

A black-crowned night heron perches on a branch at Kiwanis Lake, May 12, 2025, in York City.

">A black-crowned night heron perches on a branch at Kiwanis Lake, May 12, 2025, in York City.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/gJfB4BDGvFtJ0sIx5MPCIA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xNTUz/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/6f0c968be1b86e1affcd152b9cc457c0 class=caas-img>

An egret flies and tugboat passes near The Dames Point Bridge at Dames Point Park on the St. Johns River May 8, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The St. Johns Riverkeeper, a local non-profit, have been educating the masses for the past 25 years on the imporance of the river’s role in the health of the surrounding ecosystem and bio diversity. Challenges they face are sewage sludge, farmland chemicals, development runoff and microplastics.

" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Rz7cGK_D1I06g6MBZ8mlJg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODY4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/7878348ea0967a8ba06c1581dc36c295 class=caas-img data-headline="Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year" data-caption="

An egret flies and tugboat passes near The Dames Point Bridge at Dames Point Park on the St. Johns River May 8, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The St. Johns Riverkeeper, a local non-profit, have been educating the masses for the past 25 years on the imporance of the river’s role in the health of the surrounding ecosystem and bio diversity. Challenges they face are sewage sludge, farmland chemicals, development runoff and microplastics.

">An egret flies and tugboat passes near The Dames Point Bridge at Dames Point Park on the St. Johns River May 8, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The St. Johns Riverkeeper, a local non-profit, have been educating the masses for the past 25 years on the imporance of the river’s role in the health of the surrounding ecosystem and bio diversity. Challenges they face are sewage sludge, farmland chemicals, development runoff and microplastics.

" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Rz7cGK_D1I06g6MBZ8mlJg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODY4/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/7878348ea0967a8ba06c1581dc36c295 class=caas-img>

1 / 49Extraordinary photos of wildlife revealed in 2025 Pictures of the Year

Every year, USA TODAY Network photojournalists find beauty in wildlife within their local communities. Their visuals are both stunning and informative, allowing viewers an up-close look into the natural world, the challenges facing us and the humans who are attempting to conserve life on Earth. See USA TODAY'S Pictures of the Year 2025, beginning here with a moorhen, framed by a rainbow reflected in the water, feeding at John Yarbrough Linear Park in Fort Myers, Fla., Sept. 22, 2025.

Two hikers discovered the woman's body on the Crosier Mountain Trail, just south of Glen Haven in Larimer County, at around noon local time on Jan. 1, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The trail is about 70 miles northwest of Denver.

The hikers, including a physician, saw a mountain lion lying over the woman from about 100 yards away, Van Hoose said. They threw rocks at the animal as they approached, and the mountain lion was scared away.

"It was acting protectively over the person when the two men saw it," Van Hoose said, adding that the physician attended to the woman but did not find a pulse.

Local coroner identifies victim killed in mountain lion attack

The Larimer County Coroner’s Office said it responded to the Glen Haven Fire Station on Jan. 1 to investigate the death of a 46-year-old woman. The coroner's office confirmed that the woman was a victim of a fatal mountain lion attack at the Crosier Mountain Trail and had been transported to the Glen Haven Fire Station for safety measures.

On Jan. 5, the coroner's office identified the woman as Kristen Marie Kovatch, of Fort Collins, Colorado. Kovatch died of asphyxia due to having her neck compressed, the coroner's office said in a statement.

Her injuries were "consistent with a mountain lion attack," and her death was ruled an accident, according to the coroner’s office.

"Our hearts go out to the victim’s family," Mark Leslie, regional manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Northeast Region, said in a statement. "This is a terrible tragedy. This hiker did what many people did on New Year's Day."

"She went out in nature on the first day of a new year, and the fact that she did not return to her family and friends is nothing short of heartbreaking," Leslie continued. "We encourage the public to have compassion and empathy for her and her loved ones."

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Necropsy finds human DNA on euthanized male mountain lion

After the two hikers discovered the victim and called 911, state wildlife authorities said officers arrived at the scene and saw a male mountain lion approaching the area. The mountain lion was shot by an officer and ran off.

Wildlife officers and houndsmen then tracked the mountain lion, which was wounded by the earlier officer’s shot, and euthanized it, according to the agency. A second mountain lion was also spotted in close vicinity to the scene and was euthanized by wildlife authorities.

Shortly after, officers observed a third mountain lion in the area and it was pursued by hounds, the agency said. But wildlife officers were unable to track and locate the mountain lion.

"Due to multiple lions present at the attack area and evidence found at the scene, (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) officers suspected a family group was responsible," the agency said in the news release.

Initial necropsy results revealed on Jan. 5 showed the two euthanized mountain lions were members of the same family group, consisting of an approximately one-year-old male and one-year-old female.

The necropsy found human DNA on all four paws of the male mountain lion, and no human DNA was detected on the female mountain lion, according to the agency. Both mountain lions tested negative for rabies.

"It is very unlikely that these lions were in such close proximity to the scene by coincidence," Leslie said. "This is not a decision we take lightly ... Given the gravity of this situation and the rarity of this type of behavior, this was a necessary, if unfortunate action."

Moose attack in Colorado: Woman sustains head, back injuries in moose attack, officials say

How rare are fatal mountain lion attacks?

Before the attack on Jan. 1, Van Hoose told the Coloradoan that there had been 28 mountain lion attacks on humans in Colorado, including three that were fatal. The last incident — which was non-fatal — occurred in 2023 near the mountain town of Buena Vista, over 175 miles southwest of the Crosier Mountain Trail.

The state's last fatal mountain lion attack was in October 1999, when 3-year-old Jaryd Atadero went missing while hiking with a group on the Big South Trail in the Roosevelt National Forest of Larimer County. His body was discovered by two hikers near where he was last seen in June 2003. The case resulted in extensive national and international media coverage.

According to the nonprofit Mountain Lion Foundation, there have been about 30 reported fatal mountain lion attacks in North America since 1868. A 2011 study found mountain lion attacks are relatively rare, with about four to six per year in the United States and Canada.

In 2025, a 4-year-old in Washington state was bitten by a mountain lion, and an 11-year-old was attacked by one outside her California home. In 2024, California had its first fatal mountain lion attack in 20 years after a man was killed and his brother was injured in a remote region west of Lake Tahoe.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Search for mountain lions ends after hiker fatally attacked on trail

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