Mountain Lion Sighting
Yesterday afternoon, the Parker Police Department received a call of a mountain lion sighting near Frontier Valley Elementary School. The students immediately went inside the school and a Police Sergeant and two Community Services Officers responded to the area. They searched on foot and in their vehicle and were unable to locate the mountain lion.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife advised that they would not respond to the location per their policy and procedure unless there was an extreme or unusual situation. They do have this area marked as mountain lion territory and that it was not concerning that a sighting occurred in the area.
The School Marshall Officer assigned to Frontier Valley has been notified of this sighting as well as other Officers in the area.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is an excellent resource for tips on living with wildlife. Here are a few tips from their website:
To reduce the risk of problems with mountain lions on or near your property, we urge you to follow these simple precautions:
- Make lots of noise if you come and go during the times mountain lions are most active: dusk to dawn.
- Install outside lighting. Light areas where you walk so you could see a lion if one were present.
- Closely supervise children whenever they play outdoors. Make sure children are inside before dusk and not outside before dawn. Talk with children about lions and teach them what to do if they meet one.
- Landscape or remove vegetation to eliminate hiding places for lions, especially around children’s play areas. Make it difficult for lions to approach unseen.
- Planting non-native shrubs and plants that deer often prefer to eat encourages wildlife to come onto your property. Predators follow prey. Don’t feed any wildlife!
- Keep your pet under control. Roaming pets are easy prey and can attract lions. Bring pets in at night. If you leave your pet outside, keep it in a kennel with a secure top. Don’t feed pets outside; this can attract raccoons and other animals that are eaten by lions. Store all garbage securely.
- Place livestock in enclosed sheds or barns at night. Close doors to all outbuildings since inquisitive lions may go inside for a look.
- Encourage your neighbors to follow these simple precautions. Prevention is far better than a possible lion confrontation.
Here is a link with more information on living with wildlife and mountain lions:
http://cpw.state.co.us/l…/Pages/LivingwithWildlifeLion1.aspx
