Over the last couple of weeks, there have been two mountain lion incidents reported to the CPW. Below we will report about each of the incidents.
Mountain Lion Removed from Boulder Neighborhood
CPW officials removed a mountain lion from a Boulder neighborhood in late February. Homeowners called the CPW on the morning of the 27th of Feb. to report a mountain that was under their backyard deck. The homeowners reported that their dog began barking at something under the deck. One of the homeowners approached the deck with a flashlight expected to find a raccoon under the deck. However, once they looked under the deck they spotted what looked to be a decent-sized mountain lion.
CPW Wildlife Officer Tyler Asnicar arrived at the scene and met with Boulder PD Animal Protection Officer. At that point, Officer Asnicar tranquilized the mountain lion. Once the animal was asleep they pulled it out from under the deck just prior to 10 a.m.
Once the mountain lion was out from under the deck, the officers checked the animal’s overall health. The sub-adult male was found to be in good condition. The officers then loaded the 115-120 pound animal into a vehicle to be transported out of the neighborhood.
“One factor we look at is location when we get cats that come into town. This one was pretty far east in Boulder in a populated area and it is not a good situation to have a big predator like that close to so many people. It is better for the people and the cat to try to move it. Relocation was our best approach in this case.” – CPW Wildlife Officer Tyler Asnicar
The mountain lion was taken to a remote area in southwest Larimer County where it was released into the wild by 1 p.m. the same day.
Mountain Lion Claws Man in Montezuma County
At approximately 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, Michael D. Warren sustained several puncture wounds to his lower right leg from the reported mountain lion attack. Warren reported that he was in his house when he heard a loud thud from outside near the front porch. At that point, Warren’s dogs began to bark aggressively at the sound. Michael believed that maybe his house cat was fighting with something outside, so, he went to investigate.
As Warren attempted to get outside he stuck one leg outside the door and used his body to block his dogs from getting outside. Not long after Michael had placed his leg outside he felt something grab and pull at his leg. He spun his head around to look at what grabbed him and saw a mountain lion fleeing the area. Security camera footage later confirmed this sighting.
At that point, Warren called the CPW to report the incident. However, Michael told the CPW he did not want medical attention. CPW officers conducted a site investigation and documented the injuries to the man’s leg. They observed several punctures on the lower right leg below the knee, indicative of punctures from claws. Likewise, the officers found mountain lion tracks in the area.
CPW officials searched the area for the mountain lion and brought hounds into the area to look for it as well. However, the CPW and the hounds were unable to track down the mountain lion.
Warren and the CPW also believe that Warren’s two cats that went missing recently may have been killed by the mountain lion.
Reporting Sightings
If residents do spot a mountain lion in town, they are asked to report it directly to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. That can be accomplished by calling CPW’s Denver office at 303-291-7227 if during business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or by calling Colorado State Patrol at 303-239-4501 if outside of normal business hours. Reporting mountain lion sightings or incidents quickly is crucial for CPW officers to respond and locate the animals.
You can read more about these incidents by clicking here. Likewise, you can read more about mountain lion management and conservation by clicking here.
