Lion Attack 'Probable but Unconfirmed'

South Dakota officials investigating an alleged mountain lion attack March 1 at Sheridan Lake are listing the incident as "probable but unconfirmed," according to a news release.

Ryan Hughes of Rapid City said he was attacked at about 2:30 p.m. at Sheridan Lake.

S.D. Game, Fish and Parks used tracking dogs but was not able to pick up the scent of the lion and no other evidence was found other than Hughes word and the injuries he suffered.

Without enough substantiating evidence, the report listed the attack has probably having happened, but unconfirmed.

“It was very important to our agency that we go over every avenue for evidence that would firmly substantiate this as a confirmed mountain lion attack,” GFP Regional Supervisor Mike Kintigh said. “I know there has been a great deal of public interest, and this is important information for the work that we do.”

But while there was not enough evidence to substantiate the attack, Kintigh also found no evidence to dispute hughes claim.

“Ryan certainly has wounds to back up his story, and in several visits with him I have no reason to doubt his story,” Kintigh said. “There needs to be a chain of evidence to confirm a mountain lion attack report, and we were not able to put that evidence together.”