BOULDER, Colo. -- A bear resting in a tree in Boulder left Tuesday night, but was replaced today by a mountain lion.

Residents in a south Boulder neighborhood said they spotted a mountain lion around 7 a.m. Wednesday. This is the second wild animal sighting in as many days.

“I saw a tail over here flicker, and I stepped out, and saw it was watching someone play with their dogs,” said resident Davie Watkins.

“I would say this is not something that we are used to dealing with,” said a resident.

The mountain lion has since left, but not without shaking up some nerves.

“We are all concerned. It’s just for kids,” Watkins said. “I don’t like them in town.”

Open space rangers said wild animal sightings are not uncommon this time of year. A late freeze and drought in the high country has forced many animals to lower elevations, looking for food.

With fall fast approaching, bears in particular are eating more to store up enough fat for winter hibernation.

“It’s a busy time of year for them. They’re feeding. The bears especially are feeding many hours a day,” said a park ranger. “But the lions also are sensing a change in the season and trying to put on calories.”

The bear sighting Tuesday prompted an almost 12-hour vigil with parks officials waiting to see when it would leave.

The bear had been tagged, an indication that it had been handled before, by the Division of Wildlife. Under the DOW’s “Two Strikes” policy, the bear would have been killed if wildlife officers had to handle it again.

The bear left the tree Wednesday night and has not been seen since.