Big cat on the prowl: Mountain lion spotted in Duluth
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Duluth police have confirmed that a mountain lion has been spotted in the city.
“We have been in communication with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and they are also aware of the animal,” the police department issued in a written statement. “At this time, there is no further action that law enforcement will be taking.”
Duluth Public Schools placed Ordean East Middle School and Congdon Elementary under a “secure status protocol” after a nearby resident called to report a mountain lion in their backyard, about a half-mile from Ordean, on the eastern side of the city.
Students were brought inside the schools at about 1:36 p.m., and the doors were locked, said communications officer Adelle Wellens. The protocol was lifted shortly after 2 p.m. after the district consulted with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
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Wellens said DNR officials told the school district that the cougar had been seen near Knife River along the North Shore northeast of Duluth a few days ago and has been seen wandering around the area.
The police department cautions that people should exercise caution if they encounter the mountain lion — as they should with any wild animal — and never approach them.
According to the DNR, there is no evidence that Minnesota has a self-sustaining, breeding population of mountain lions.
But there have been several sightings over the years of cats that wander through Minnesota from western states. The DNR has verified 107 sightings of mountain lions in the state since 2004.
