— As mountain lions move closer to urban areas, the Colorado Division of Wildlife is proposing a pilot project to teach the cougars a lesson about humans and habitat: the DOW recommends using hazing techniques to lower the animals comfort level around people.
If approved, the Front Range Cougar Pilot Project would be implemented in two phases in Boulder and Jefferson Counties.
First, wildlife officials would trap six cougars in the corridor between Lyons and Interstate 70. Those cougars would be collared with GPS tracking devices. The movement of the mountain lion would be recorded eight times a day.
The second phase of the project calls for hazing the big cats by shooting them with rubber buckshot and trailing the cats with packs of dogs. Division of Wildlife spokesperson Tyler Baskfield says the program could be successful. "Hazing makes the animal associate people as a bad thing," said Baskfield.
However the pilot program could face opposition from the general public.
Boulder resident Bonnie Holliday said it seems a bit cruel. "I grew up in Colorado Springs where people started encroaching on mountain lion habitat," explained Holliday. "For me, I would hope that there may be a more humane solution."
So far, Jefferson County has approved the project. Boulder County Parks and Open Space is considering the plan.