Another week, another cougar encounter. According to a report by KTVZ, a cougar trapped a mother and her infant inside their car outside their home.
When a sheriff’s deputy arrived to assist he found that the cat was completely unphased by his presence. “The cougar remained in close proximity” after the deputy arrived, according to a news release. “At that point, due to continuous close proximity and the danger presented to the family by the animal’s refusal to leave the area, the deputy shot and killed the cougar.”
There have been several cougar sightings in the neighborhood in the past couple of weeks. Neighbors have reported cougars passing within feet of their front doors. There is also an unconfirmed case of a missing pet. “When deputies responded to one of those sightings, the cougar in question demonstrated itself to be highly acclimated to the area, with the deputy going to great lengths to scare the animal off,” according to the sheriff’s office.
“The nature and small geographic area of those reports indicate that this was likely all the same animal and that it was growing increasingly comfortable in the more urban environment. It had also demonstrated a decrease in its own fear of humans,” they said.
OREGON HAS A VERY HEALTHY COUGAR POPULATION
According to ODFW, there are an estimated 6000 cougars in the state. While cougar hunting is legal, the use of hounds is not. By their own words, “Hounds are an indispensable tool in cougar management.” Is it time for Oregon to bring back the use of hound hunting? If not, what can be done to decrease conflicts?
