Pack of hungry, ‘powerful’ mountain lions stalks Colorado neighborhoods, officials warn

A pack of mountain lions was spotted “roaming neighborhoods” in a Colorado city of about 10,000 people, and officials say it “is a troubling situation,” according to a warning from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Witnesses reported seeing the mountain lion pride the morning of Feb. 21 in Edwards, Colorado, neighborhoods, the warning says. Those reports from residents indicate that 8-10 mountain lions are stalking south of the Eagle river, officials said.

District Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita said it appears the group of cougars is made up of two female mountain lions — both moms — with 3-4 juvenile lions each.

“The young lions are nearly full grown, as large or possibly larger than their mother,” Yamashita said, according to the warning. “It appears the female lions are teaching their young to hunt among a human populated area.”

In the warning, Yamashita asked Edwards residents to be extra vigilant and report any mountain lion sightings to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

“We urge residents to be extremely cautious because lions are large, powerful predators and can be very dangerous if they’ve lost their natural fear of people,” he said. Lion County residents have been urged to keep pets under control and feed them inside, keep trash locked up and watch their children when playing outside.

The witness reports came after a “flurry of lion activity” in nearby towns just days before, the release states. That includes “sightings, the discovery of animal carcasses possibly related to lion activity and at least two attacks on dogs.”

Northwest Regional Manager JT Romatzke says CPW will “continue to monitor this situation and take the appropriate management action that is best for the public, and the lions.”

“Although moving the lions may be an option, it is important to have the proper perspective,” he said, according to the release. “We will not jeopardize the safety of people in other areas of the state, not to mention that a relocated lion may eventually die due to the stress of relocation or it may be killed by another lion in the area. That is a significant concern for us as well.”

The state wildlife organization said there has been an increase in statewide “lion sightings and conflicts.”

“We have a growing human population and we have more lions than ever before in some areas of Colorado,” Romatzke said. “Our officers, researchers and biologists are studying this very closely. We are looking at our best options, based on science, biology and sound management practices.”

In January, five mountain lions were trapped and killed in a Glenwood Springs, Colorado, neighborhood, the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent reported. That’s about 40 miles west of the pack of mountain lions spotted in Edwards.

Four of the cougars killed in Glenwood Springs were “believed to be a mother and her three kittens,” the newspaper reported. They were killed after “numerous reports of aggressive mountain lion behavior.”

Earlier this month, a juvenile mountain lion attacked a runner on the West Ridge Trail at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space in Colorado, McClatchy previously reported. The runner attacked and killed the mountain lion with his bare hands in self defense.

“Mountain lion attacks are not common in Colorado and it is unfortunate that the lion’s hunting instincts were triggered by the runner,” Ty Petersburg, area wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said at the time.

This story was originally published February 24, 2019 at 12:03 PM with the headline "Pack of hungry, ‘powerful’ mountain lions stalks Colorado neighborhoods, officials warn."