AURORA | Keep those heads on a swivel, all you cool cats and kittens of south Aurora.
There have been multiple reports of a mountain lion spotted in south Aurora in recent weeks, according to social media posts and reports from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Parks officials received a report of a mountain lion sighting near Red-Tailed Hark Park on Aug. 28, according to Jason Clay, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The cat was spotted from about 75 yards away as it crept into a gully covered in dense vegetation, Clay said.
Another resident reported seeing a cat on a game camera near East Hampden Avenue and South Tower Road last weekend, according to a social media post.
Clay said that mountain lions are occasionally seen in the eastern portion of the metro area, including in recent months.
“We had a report of a mountain lion in Fort Morgan back in June, had a(nother) mountain lion in Brighton in the same month and one in Parker at the end of March,” Clay wrote in an email.
He said there were two additional big cat sightings in Aurora last summer. Two more lions were spotted in Parker last June and August.
While direct interactions between humans and mountain lions are rare, residents who do find themselves confronted by a cat are encouraged to make noise and make themselves appear larger by raising their arms or gaining higher ground. There have been fewer than 12 human fatalities linked than lion attacks in North American in the past century, according to state officials.
A Fort Collins man made national headlines last year when he killed a mountain lion after the animal confronted him while he was trail running.
Anyone recreating in areas where lions have been spotted is encouraged to travel in groups when outdoors.
Residents who think they have seen a mountain lion are encouraged to call Parks officials at 303-291-7227. If calling between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m., residents should call Colorado State Patrol at 303-239-4501.
