Mountain lion spotted in Arapahoe County, less than half mile from Denver neighborhood

DENVER (KDVR) — An elusive mountain lion was spotted Saturday evening in unincorporated Arapahoe County near Greenwood Village and Denver, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office reported Sunday.

According to the agency, the sighting occurred at about 5 p.m. near the intersection of South Parker Road (Highway 83) and East Florida Avenue, at the same intersection where the Eloise May Library is located.

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The area is mostly residential but is only about three miles from Cherry Creek State Park, and less than a half mile to Denver’s Indian Creek neighborhood.

The sheriff’s office said the caller told deputies she believed the lion was the same animal posted by someone on the RING Neighbors app a few days earlier.

That mountain lion spotting was reported near East Belleview Avenue and South Dayton Street, which is a residential area that is located south/southwest of Cherry Creek State Park. Greenwood Village posted about the incident on X, notifying residents to keep an eye out for potential mountain lions in the area.

Deputies did not find the mountain lion sighted north of Cherry Creek State Park on Saturday. However, the agency told residents to call 911 when a mountain lion is sighted in their area, so deputies can contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the resident. CPW employees will attempt to relocate the animal to a safer location.

CPW also offers resources on what to do when faced with a mountain lion. The animals are not commonly seen in the wild, the agency said, with under three dozen fatalities in North America recorded in the past 120 years or so. It’s important to make loud noises when you see a mountain lion so you don’t startle it, carry a weapon like a stick if possible to ward off the animal and do not approach the predator.

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