A Boulder County sheriff's deputy was training with a night-vision drone Tuesday night when he spotted four mountain lions meandering near Nederland Middle/Senior High School.

The drone, carrying a thermal-imaging camera that lets deputies see at night or find fires, found the four frolicking felines playing late at night, according to a Sheriff's Office post on Facebook. The cats were caught on camera about a quarter to a third of a mile away from the school, according to spokesperson Carrie Haverfield.

The footage shows the lions as dark shapes — or heat signatures — darting in and out of tree cover.

Deputies, such as Mike Fank that night, train away from homes so they don't disturb people, the post says. Thermal drones help with wildfire response, search-and-rescue, documenting crime scenes and assessing dangerous situations without putting a person in danger, according to the post.

The Sheriff's Office recommends that if anyone encounters a mountain lion, they give the lion space, stay calm and back away slowly. The post also recommends that people open their jackets, raise their arms and pick up small children or pets — all to appear bigger.

Aggressive or unusual mountain lion behavior should be reported to Colorado Parks and Wildlife or the Sheriff's Office, the post says.

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