Mar 22, 2007 9:47 am US/Mountain
DOW To Track Boulder Area Mountain Lions
by Shaun Boyd
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) ―
The Colorado Division of Wildlife wants to use Global Positioning Systems to track mountain lions. The agency plans to catch six mountain lions from Interstate 70 north along the foothills into Lyons and put a GPS collar on each one.
The goal will be to track the animals in the Boulder area and try to find out who they behave around people. Authorities don't know how many cougars lurk in the foothills of Boulder County, but they want to find out.
DOW officials said it receives a couple reports of mountain lion sightings in Boulder each day during the summer. Last year, a 7-year-old boy was attacked by a cat on Flagstaff Mountain.
"As we get higher population along the Front Range, it's important for us to find out how mountain lions interact with humans," said Tyler Baskfield of the DOW.
The study hopes to track the animals for at least a year.
"Are there certain types of human behavior that encourages lions to come in?" was one of the questions Baskfield posed.
The DOW wasn't sure how it would use the data, but promised whatever it does will be done with safety in mind.
The agency has funding of about $60,000 for one year of the project. The study could start next month if Boulder County gives the OK, which is likely.
The DOW estimates there are more than 5,000 mountain lions in the state.
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