Authorities are searching for a mountain lion spotted roaming through Englewood and Denver on Tuesday.
The cougar was first seen about 3 a.m. Tuesday near William E. Bishop Elementary School near the 3100 block of South Delaware Street. About 4:40 a.m., a sighting was reported approximately eight blocks away, near East Cornell Avenue and South Lincoln Street.
The lion was spotted again at 5:20 p.m. in the backyard of a home in Denver near South University Boulevard and East Flora Place. A Division of Wildlife officer unsuccessfully attempted to tranquilize the mountain lion, and it was seen again about one block away about 9 p.m.
Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Tyler Baskfield said mountain lions wander into urbanized areas on a fairly regular basis.
“Experts say that wherever there’s deer and cover, there will be mountain lions. . . . They’ve been seen as far as Nebraska,” Baskfield said.
Baskfield said it was possible the mountain lion was following food along the South Platte River.
Baskfield said it is not uncommon to see mountain lions in Boulder. In Denver, a mountain lion was seen on East Colfax Avenue last summer.
Bianca Davis: 303-954-1698 or bsmith-davis@denverpost.com
