In early December, two schools in Duluth, Minnesota, were ordered to lock their doors after mountain lions were spotted nearby.
what happened?
Officials believe the animal wandered all the way from Nebraska because it had the same ear tags and radio collar as animals involved in biological studies there, the Duluth News-Tribune reported.
Wildlife authorities confirmed it was a two-year-old male and was tracked by camera footage in Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota.
“They tend to be young males that take off from existing populations and start wandering in search of new homes,” John Erb, a furbearer and wolf research biologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, told the Tribune.
Some residents spotted a mountain lion walking in a residential area and decided to film it and post it on social media. However, they are not too concerned about its presence, as they usually only attack when threatened. But the sightings prompted the lockdown because children are easy prey for mountain lions.
Ordean East Secondary School and nearby Congdon Park Primary School were both cordoned off for about 30 minutes until the coast was clear.
Why is this sighting concerning?
While fortunately no one was injured in the incident, the sighting of a large predator near schools and homes is still concerning.
Mountain lions are fairly rare in northern Minnesota because the state lacks a self-sustaining breeding population and most sightings are young males from nearby states.
Although attacks are considered rare, with fewer than 20 people killed in North America over the past century, reported encounters and attacks have been increasing due to habitat loss, human development and a warming planet, all of which are bringing animals closer to humans.
Mountain lions are forced to travel great distances in search of food, water and shelter, increasing the chances of human-wildlife conflicts.
There are also a growing number of people enjoying recreational activities like hiking and camping in mountain lion territory, which can be dangerous because of the animals’ protective nature—especially for lone hikers.
Attacks have been reported in California and Canada this year. The first involved an 11-year-old girl who suffered non-life-threatening injuries to her arms, legs and waist, and the second involved a man working in his yard who was punched in the torso by a mountain lion that climbed up from behind.
What is being done to help?
“The Duluth Police Department has been notified of a sighting of a mountain lion/cougar in Duluth,” police said in a news release.
“We have communicated with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and they are aware of the animal. At this time, no further action will be taken by law enforcement.”
If you live or hike near mountain lion territory, Kuhl Clothing offers these tips: Never hike alone, always carry bear spray, back off slowly if you spot a mountain lion, stay on the trail, make enough noise, and only hike during the day.
While mountain lions can cause problems, they are also important to ecosystem health and play a key role in controlling prey populations. Some experts recommend creating wildlife corridors to give mountain lions more space and prevent unnecessary contact with humans.
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