Mountain Lion Spends Blizzard Perched In Wonderland Hills Tree

BOULDER, CO -- A young mountain lion spent most of the day hanging out in a North Boulder tree on Wednesday while a local ranger monitored its activity. It arrived in its perch midmorning, and while the rest of town raced around in the freezing rain attempting to prepare for the upcoming snowstorm, the big cat stretched out and decided to take a nap.

Wildlife officers are monitoring this juvenile mountain lion up a tree in a neighborhood on the fringe of the foothills in north Boulder. pic.twitter.com/oqfcmLls69
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) April 10, 2019

Because the young animal was already close to the Open Space boundary, Colorado Parks and Wildlife explained in the afternoon via Twitter that the plan was to allow it to move back to the foothills on its own to avoid unnecessarily orphaning it from its mother. CPW noted that if the lion continues to hunt in the area, they would relocate it.

According to reporting from the Daily Camera, rangers were unable to haze or tranquilize the animal because it was perched out of reach, about 30 feet up the tree. Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Jason Clay told the Camera that there have been multiple sightings reported in the area over the last two weeks, leading rangers to believe there are three juvenile lions in the area.

Residents are encouraged to keep pets on a leash or indoors. Here's what to do, according to the City of Boulder, if you encounter a lion:

• Do not approach lions. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give the lion a way to escape.

• Stay calm if you come upon a lion. Talk to it in a firm voice in an effort to demonstrate that you are human and not its regular prey.

• Back away slowly. Running may stimulate a lion's instinct to chase and attack.

• Face the lion and make an effort to appear as large as possible. Open your jacket or lift objects to appear like a more formidable opponent. Pick up your children.

• If the lion behaves aggressively, throw rocks, sticks or whatever you can pick up, without turning your back to the lion or bending down.

• If the lion would happen to attack, fight back. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. Remain standing and keep attempting to get back up if you are brought to the ground.