Mountain Lion Triggers Lockdown at Two Minnesota Schools
UPDATE: Two schools in Duluth, Minnesota, were placed on lockdown after a mountain lion was spotted roaming through suburban neighborhoods, raising immediate safety concerns for students. At 1:36 p.m. today, authorities confirmed the sighting, prompting Ordean East Middle School and Congdon Park Elementary School to enact a “secure status,” keeping students indoors until the situation was resolved.
The mountain lion was reported within a half-mile of the Ordean East campus, leading school administrators to prioritize student safety. The lockdown ended shortly after 2:00 p.m. for Congdon Park, with Ordean East following suit shortly thereafter. “We’re confident that it has moved on,” said Adelle Wellens, spokesperson for Duluth Public Schools.
Officials from the Duluth Police Department and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) were promptly alerted to the incident. The mountain lion was wearing a tracking collar, which, intriguingly, does not belong to the DNR, leaving them unable to monitor its movements. The collar has led to questions about its origins.
“Then we got a flurry of pictures that kind of help us loosely track it,” said John Erb, a DNR biologist, referring to the mountain lion first spotted near Fergus Falls earlier this month. “We are 99 percent certain it came from Nebraska as part of a study.”
According to Erb, the mountain lion is a 2-year-old male that had been previously collared for research purposes. A Nebraska biologist, who has been involved in tracking the animal, confirmed its identity through photos submitted by residents.
The Duluth Police Department has urged local residents to exercise caution and avoid approaching the animal. “At this time, there is no further action that law enforcement will be taking,” the department stated in a news release.
This incident marks the second time in 2023 that Duluth schools have activated emergency protocols due to wildlife encounters. Earlier this spring, Lowell Elementary School also went into lockdown when a bear wandered onto school grounds. Despite these recent occurrences, Wellens emphasizes that such measures are uncommon and necessary for student safety.
As authorities continue to monitor the situation, residents are reminded to remain vigilant and prioritize safety in the presence of wild animals. This developing story highlights the ongoing interaction between urban areas and wildlife, raising questions about how communities manage these encounters.
Stay tuned for further updates as officials track the mountain lion’s movements and assess the situation in Duluth.
