Article Contributed on: 5/15/2006 1:53:32 PM
This Mother's Day definitely was unlike any other. The bad news was my face was only six inches away from a mountain lion in Boulder. Its incredibly large eyes and soft, furry face looked at me intensely but the good news was I knew it wasn't hungry. The even better news was it was in a cage after being caught by a team consisting of Colorado Department of Wildlife officials, City of Boulder Park Rangers, and Boulder Police Officers.
The cougar was first spotted by my good friends,
Matthew and
Deborah Silverman, who live on 11th and Forest in North Boulder -- a short block away from one of Boulder's busiest streets: Broadway. They had just returned home and saw a figure lying on the ground next to a tree a few feet from their house. When the animal arose and came forward, Matt had a rake and knew this was no ordinary kitty.
The police were the first to arrive and were followed by park rangers and CDOW officers. There was nothing happening in Boulder today so the incident attracted a crowd of law enforcement professionals. Initially, they kept neighborhood onlookers away. The mountain lion ran into the neighbor's backyard but got caught between a wood fence and some wire mesh. It did not have a lot of room to maneuver and was quite unhappy.
Because the Silverman's backyard opened up into the neighbor's, we had a good view during the three-hour standoff. The 12-member team had guns, tasers, and a variety of tranquilizers and delivery devices as well as nets. They considered a number of strategies but each was fraught with problems.
At first, because it looked so small when it was curled up and resting, it was thought the lion was quite young (such as six to eight months old) and small (perhaps 25 pounds). This created a concern that its mother might be nearby. That concern forced the authorities to delay any decision as that could have other ramifications.
The cougar had gotten into the house next to the Silvermans through a dog door used for "
Mungit," a 15 year-old cat. The lion had entered the home, killed and ate poor Mungit, and then ate the dry cat food stored in the house. It left to deposit Mungit's remains outside and to take a nap outside in the 10-foot-wide space between the two homes.
The entire neighborhood was entranced. People were in the streets, on the sidewalks, and in the alley -- all hoping to get a glimpse of the mountain lion. The Silvermans' Mother's Day brunch was interrupted and dominated by the scene being played out around their home. We watched from a distance of 30 feet while the professionals debated what to do. The cougar would move a little at a time but appeared to be more terrified than any of the humans surrounding it. Officer
Beverly Bookout took pictures and was great about keeping us posted on the strategy being developed. Park Ranger and Naturalist
Valerie Tierce also was on hand to help.
The CDOW team was led by
John Koehler and
Mike Babler. Both were District Wildlife Managers and knew what they were doing. They also were good at explaining what was happening and what their options were. And they kept everyone's safety as their primary concern.
Eventually, the CDOW decided to forego the tranquilizer gun and, instead, "stick" the animal with a needle. Because the tranquilizer does not take effect immediately and the cougar's reaction was unpredictable, they cleared out the area. Because we were next door, however, we were able to watch as they stuck the lion, collared it with a loop on a long pole which they could close, and then lift the animal up over a six-foot wood fence.
When the animal was raised up to clear the fence, we could see it was much bigger than we had thought. It turned out the lion was a year to a year-and-a-half old and weighed approximately 45 pounds. It was no little kitty cat.
Once it was caged, we were able to view it. It still was drowsy but its large, beautiful black eyes peered at me as I looked it over. It was a sleek and powerful-looking animal. I was glad to see how effectively the CDOW, Police, and Open Space Rangers were able to work together. It also made me realize why dog and large cat doors could be a bad idea. I decided I would carefully check my fencing when I got home.
Aaron Harber hosts "The Aaron Harber Show," seen Fridays at 9:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm on PBS Station KBDI-TV Channel 12. Please go to
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