A mountain lion lounging in a tree prompted Westminster police to shut down a stretch of Eaton Street between 112th and 113th avenues Tuesday morning, sending officers to the residential block and asking neighbors to steer clear of the animal.
The Westminster Police Department announced the closure shortly before 10:30 a.m., according to The Denver Post, which reported that the mountain lion was spotted lounging in a tree in the area. The closure sits in a residential area west of Sheridan Boulevard, and police said they notified neighbors and posted officers on scene while the situation played out.
Police asked residents to avoid both the closed block and the animal itself, according to the same report, as the incident unfolded Tuesday.
Why Big Cats Keep Showing Up in Westminster Backyards
The Eaton Street closure is in a residential area of Westminster, where a mountain lion was seen in a tree above a neighborhood street.
The article also describes two individual encounters this year. In May, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers tranquilized and relocated a young male mountain lion after a homeowner's security camera captured it wandering across a backyard deck in Centennial, as Hoodline previously reported. In April, wildlife officers in Salida tranquilized and relocated a young lion after it slipped past an elementary school into a nearby neighborhood, according to the Denver Gazette.
How Wildlife Officers Typically Handle These Encounters
Colorado Parks and Wildlife's guidance addresses mountain-lion encounters and coexistence but does not set out the specific response protocol described here.
Residents who encounter a mountain lion are advised to remain calm and back away slowly. Related coverage is available from FOX21 News.
Attacks Remain Rare Even as Sightings Draw Attention
Fatal mountain lion attacks remain extremely uncommon in Colorado, according to 9News. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 28 previous attacks since 1990, according to a CPW news release cited in the Salida report. Related wildlife-safety information is available from UCHealth Today.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages mountain lions as big game. The cited Wikipedia page does not establish a related election result.
This story is developing, and details about the fate of the Westminster mountain lion had not been reported as of Tuesday. Hoodline will update this article as more information becomes available.
