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PARK CITY -- Wildlife officers are trying to ease fears after two mountain lion sightings in the Park City area in a week's time.
One happened Friday along Telemark Drive. The other occurred Sunday in The Colony. It's a development near The Canyons Ski Resort.
"I don't want to give the impression we're overrun with mountain lions in the Park City area," says Dave Swenson, an officer with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Swenson says the fact these sightings happened in mountainous areas is less concerning.
"If they're hanging around in a populated area, appear to have lost their fear of people - that's when I get concerned," Swenson says.
In that case, the mountain lion would have to be put down. Here, neighbors reported seeing the cougars for a short period of time.
Alan Ross tells The Park Record in Park City he went to get a camera, but the animal had left by the time he returned.
"Cougars are a lot more afraid of people than people are of them, so likely if you run across one you'll only see it for a split second because they're gone," Swenson says.
Swenson says it is still good to know what to do in a close encounter with a mountain lion. He recommends not making direct eye contact, and looking as big as possible by raising your arms and holding a coat over you and waving it.
He also recommends screaming or yelling at the cougar while trying to appear large.
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
