A mountain lion spotted Thursday perusing through the heart of Des Moines had residents on high alert around town. The animal was caught on surveillance footage overnight in a residential area near 31st Street and Interstate 235. The video shows the mountain lion wandering near the door of a house. Moments after the cat leaves, a homeowner is seen walking out the door."He kind of stepped outside and took a look around to see who was out there,” Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said.Parizek said the video sighting was enough for police to put out a community safety alert urging people in the area to be careful. "Keep small children close,” he said. “Keep your pets close. Monitor them while they're outside."A few hours after the mountain lion was spotted in the backyard, a trooper reported seeing it heading south in Water Works Park. Officials said they are unsure where the mountain lion is, but the animals are typically nocturnal. "He's probably hiding somewhere,” Parizek said. “He might be under a deck. He might be up in a tree. He's going to find someplace where he can bunker down and not be bothered.""They may be sleeping right now, and they calmly go up in a tree, sit up in limbs and sleep,” Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Aron Arthur said.Arthur said the predator is as scared of people as people are of it and will hopefully make its way out of the metro on its own."My biggest hope is, yup, it'll make its way through town,” he said.Authorities encourage anyone who sees the mountain lion to call 911.

A mountain lion spotted Thursday perusing through the heart of Des Moines had residents on high alert around town.

The animal was caught on surveillance footage overnight in a residential area near 31st Street and Interstate 235.


The video shows the mountain lion wandering near the door of a house. Moments after the cat leaves, a homeowner is seen walking out the door.



"He kind of stepped outside and took a look around to see who was out there,” Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said.

Parizek said the video sighting was enough for police to put out a community safety alert urging people in the area to be careful.

"Keep small children close,” he said. “Keep your pets close. Monitor them while they're outside."

A few hours after the mountain lion was spotted in the backyard, a trooper reported seeing it heading south in Water Works Park.

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Officials said they are unsure where the mountain lion is, but the animals are typically nocturnal.

"He's probably hiding somewhere,” Parizek said. “He might be under a deck. He might be up in a tree. He's going to find someplace where he can bunker down and not be bothered."

"They may be sleeping right now, and they calmly go up in a tree, sit up in limbs and sleep,” Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Aron Arthur said.

Arthur said the predator is as scared of people as people are of it and will hopefully make its way out of the metro on its own.

"My biggest hope is, yup, it'll make its way through town,” he said.

Authorities encourage anyone who sees the mountain lion to call 911.