The Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee is warning parents to take safety precautions after a cougar was sighted near Lapwai Elementary School.

The committee says a cougar was seen in the bushes near the school by several children on Thursday. Nez Perce Tribal Police responded to the reports, but neither the police nor Nez Perce Tribal Conservation Enforcement workers have been able to locate the animal.

Tribal leaders are recommending that children not be allowed to play outside alone after dark, and people who arrive home after dark are being told to use a flashlight to look around as they exit their car to discourage any nearby animals from approaching.