In early December, two schools in Duluth, Minnesota, were ordered to lock their doors following a mountain lion sighting nearby.

What happened?

Officials believe the animal wandered all the way from Nebraska, as it had the same ear tags and radio collar as one involved in a biology study there, according to Duluth News Tribune. 

Wildlife authorities confirmed it was a two-year-old male, which had been tracked on camera footage in Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota as well. 

"They tend to be the young males that take off from the established populations and start wandering, looking for a new home," John Erb, a furbearer and wolf research biologist at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, told the Tribune.

Some residents spotted the mountain lion walking in residential areas and decided to film it for social media. They weren't too concerned about its presence, however, as they usually only attack when threatened. But these sightings prompted the lockdowns since children can be considered easy prey for mountain lions. 

Both Ordean East Middle School and the nearby Congdon Park Elementary School were on lockdown for roughly 30 minutes until the coast was clear.

Why is the sighting concerning?

While the incident thankfully didn't result in any injuries or deaths, it's still concerning that a large predator was spotted so close to schools and homes. 

Cougars are quite rare in northern Minnesota, as the state lacks a self-sustaining breeding population, and most appearances are typically from young males wandering from nearby states. 

Even though attacks are considered rare, with fewer than 20 people being killed in North America over the past century, reported encounters and attacks have been increasing because of habitat loss, human development, and the warming planet, all of which bring the animals in closer proximity to people. 

Cougars are forced to roam further distances to find food, water, and shelter, increasing the chances of human-wildlife conflicts. 

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There are also more people enjoying recreational activities like hiking and camping in mountain lion territory, and since the animals are protective, this can be dangerous — especially for lone hikers. 

Attacks in California and Canada have been reported this year. The first involved an 11-year-old girl who suffered non-life-threatening injuries to her arm, leg, and lower back, and the latter involved a man working in his yard who was swiped on his torso by a mountain lion that crept up from behind. 

What's being done to help?

"The Duluth Police Department has been made aware of sightings of a mountain lion/cougar in Duluth," police said in a news release. 

"We have been in communication with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and they are also aware of the animal. At this time, there is no further action that law enforcement will be taking."

If you live or hike near mountain lion territory, Kuhl Clothing offered the following tips: never hike alone, always carry bear spray, slowly back away if you spot a mountain lion, stay on trails, make plenty of noise, and only hike in the daytime. 

While cougars can be problematic, they are also important to ecosystem health and play a key role in controlling prey populations. Some experts have suggested building wildlife corridors to give cougars more space and prevent unneeded contact with humans. 

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