Dangerous Mountain Lion Was Found Chilling Under A Colorado Deck
You can typically find a cat lounging around a porch, but only in Colorado will you find a mountain lion chilling under your deck.
According to a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a mountain lion was found underneath a deck in a residential neighborhood in Boulder, Colorado.
Colorado Dog Discovers Mountain Lion Cat
It was about 7:30 on a Sunday morning when the homeowners at 23rd Street and Panorama avenue in Boulder found their dog barking at something underneath the porch.
One of the homeowners decided to grab a flashlight and assumed that the dog had most likely encountered a raccoon, something that had occurred before.
However, the whole neighborhood was in for a big shock, because the flashlight illuminated a large mountain lion instead of a pesky raccoon.
See A Mountain Lion in Colorado? Call the Professionals
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks (OSMP) and Boulder Police Animal Protection Officers arrived quickly at the scene. Immediately following was CPW Wildlife Officer Tyler Asnicar, who was able to tranquilize the mountain lion.
By 10 AM the mountain lion had been removed from under the deck, and by 1 PM the mountain lion was relocated and released in a remote area in southwest Larimer County.
The big cat in question was a male weighing approximately 115-120 pounds.
What to do When You Encounter Colorado Wildlife
Living in Colorado means living with wildlife. In Boulder alone, CPW has received 17 reports of mountain lions since January 15.
“Especially in Boulder, always be aware, but don’t be worried,” Asnicar said, speaking specifically about mountain lions being in Boulder.
“Cats are going to come and go, it is not a new thing and it isn’t going to go away, so know that if you are out and about in town you have a chance of coming upon a mountain lion or other predators as well like bears, coyotes, and foxes. So keep an eye on your pets, keep an eye on your kids and teach them what to do if they were to encounter a mountain lion or bear.”
If you run into wildlife in the city here in Grand Junction, call CPW's Grand Junction office at (970) 255-6100 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.