MANITOU SPRINGS — Spotting a mountain lion is typically rare even though they are a common part of Colorado wildlife.
“This past couple months has been different where we've seen them more in town, but they are present up in the hills, not far away from here at all times,” said Manitou Springs local, Andrew Swendsen.
There has been an uptick of people capturing images and having unexpected in person close encounters.
Swendsen is one of the people who posted an image of a mountain lion.
“I heard rocks sliding down the hill, and it prompted me to look up the hill. And starting off, I saw these really bright eyes, and then it started running away from me.”
Swendsen was at the base of The Incline after sundown.
The mountain lion was on the hillside north and east of the popular extreme hiking challenge location.
It was headed in the direction of neighborhoods.
“[I] managed to get a picture of it while it was way up there. I took one picture, and then I got the heck out of there, because I didn't want to stick around and see this thing,” said Swendsen.
It is a picture taken after dark, with a smartphone, and from a distance..
Swendsen says some on-line commenters question what they are seeing.
His live view was much clearer.
He said, “It was spooked by me. And keeping my head lamp on it also, I think, helps keep it away from me. So I just, I got away from it. In the same way it got away from me.”
Colorado Springs resident Mike Mills has no doubts about the mountain lion encounter.
He has also noticed the recent rise of on-line shares showing mountain lion sightings.
“I have seen tracks, and I have heard them.”
Mills hikes at the incline and other places often.
One time, he was warned by someone else coming down The Incline, who had just spotted some big cats.
Rather than seeing them, Mills heard them.
“It's a terrifying sound when you're out there by yourself,…you feel like prey."
Frequent hikers know mountain lions and other wildlife require healthy respect.
There have been so many recent sightings around Manitou Springs, city leaders put out a notice encouraging people to be aware and cautious.
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