Three mountain lions euthanized after being found feeding on a human body in Arizona

Wildlife officials in Arizona euthanized three mountain lions this week, after the animals were discovered feeding on the body of a human near a hiking trail north of Tucson.

While authorities do not believe the big cats killed the individual whose remains they were found eating, the Arizona Game and Fish Department killed the mountain lions due to the animals' "abnormal behavior" toward officers.

What are the details?

"Mountain lions are not routinely scavengers. A mountain lion eating human remains is abnormal behavior. Those that do are more likely to attack a human being in the future," AGBFD Regional Supervisor Raul Vega explained to KVOA-TV. "In addition, they did so 50 yards from a popular hiking trail and within sight of homes, and repeatedly showed no fear of responding officers."

Vega added that the cats "were a clear and present danger to public safety."

The Daily Mail reported that "one of the lions was an adult female and the two younger lions weighed more than 100 pounds."

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Anything else?

NBC News reported that deputies from the Pima County Sheriff's Department found the human remains "while investigating an incident" on the Pima Canyon Trail on Monday and that authorities believe the individual was already dead before the mountain lions found the body.

According to KVOA, the bodies of the three euthanized mountain lions are being preserved as potential evidence in the investigation into the death of the person found off the trail. An autopsy for the victim was scheduled for Thursday.