Mountain Lion Climbs Tree Near Homes In Jefferson County
MORRISON, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in the Morrison area asked neighbors in the Willowbrook subdivision to stay in their homes after a mountain lion climbed a tree and decided to stay for a while.
Jackie Jacobson told CBS4 she was taking photos of a deer Friday morning after 8 a.m. when she noticed that it was acting tentatively. A few minutes later she looked up and saw the lion about 25 feet up on a branch.
"Majestic and beautiful and awesome. We're so luck to live here that we want to see this in our backyards," said Morrison resident Suzanne McGarry.
The big cat, weighing about 135 pounds, took leave in the tree near C-470 and Highway 285 and stayed there until about 9 p.m. Friday.
Jefferson County sheriff's deputies were hoping the mountain lion would come down sometime Friday afternoon or evening and not have any up close interaction with any people. They were telling people to keep a good distance from the tree, which is along Meadowbrook Drive.
"We prefer not to ear tag him because if we do he would have to be marked and if he comes down into town again we'd have to euthanize him," said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill.
"He's been shifting around -- standing up, sitting down -- and they believe he may be trying to leave the area," Jacobson said.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said if you see a mountain lion, bear or coyote to make yourself big, back away slowly and fight like crazy if a wild animal pounces on you.
