Lynx walks along busy ski slope at Colorado ski resort

DURANGO, Colo., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A wild lynx surprised skiers at a local ski resort in Colorado by wandering along a crowded area on the mountain.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife shared a video, taken by skier Airrick Hix, of the lynx casually strolling near a group of skiers at Purgatory Resort.

"I was 1 meter from that thing!!! It was stalking Yogi Hix, good thing he chased it off!" Hix wrote.

The Parks and Wildlife department said it was not unusual to see wildlife including moose in the area, but encouraged visitors to keep their distance.

"Enjoy watching wildlife, but please do not chase or approach these animals," the department said.

The department added that lynx have developed a self-sustaining population in the area after a 20-year reintroduction effort but encounters like the one captured in the video are still rare.

"Spotting one in the wild is definitely special," the department said. "These cats are typically solitary and are most active during the night."