BATTLE GROUND - A handful of cougar sightings in Clark County sparked social media buzz last week as residents used Facebook and Twitter to warn their friends and neighbors.
Tracy Nichols, founder of Northwest Love All Animal Rescue, 21903 NE 227th Ave. in Battle Ground, encountered one of cats on the sanctuary’s grounds as she helped a group of volunteers setting up to exercise horses near dusk last Monday evening.
“We happened to notice that the critters were a little on edge,” Nichols said. “That’s when we realized there was something up in the field.”
Nichols was able to take a distant cell phone photograph of the cat before it ran away. She said Friday the episode added intensity to her plans to erect 6 foot tall chain link fencing around the 10-acre sanctuary property.
Cougar sightings within Clark County are actually down for the year, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) spokesman Craig Bartlett said, but added some increase would be normal for the season.
“This time of year, there often is (an increase in sightings) with not just cougars but bears, because this is the time when, basically, the young of the year become teenagers and they start roaming around themselves,” he said.
That’s also true for deer and other prey species, he added.
Cougars can pose some danger, but attacks on humans are extremely rare. About 25 fatal and 95 non-fatal cougar attacks have been recorded in all of North America over the past 100 years. In Washington, only one person has died of injuries caused by a cougar in a century.
The big cats are more dangerous to pets and livestock than humans.
“Dogs and particularly cats do go missing in situations like this,” Clark County Animal Control manager Paul Scarpelli said Friday.
“So, please; have your pets licensed,” he urged.
The agency can more easily return lost pets if registered, Scarpelli said. It also allows notification of pet owners in case pet’s remains are discovered.
Cougars are most active at night; about 2500 of the cats can be found throughout Washington’s forests and natural areas – or wherever they can find a place to hide and something to eat. To help reduce cougar encounters, the WDFW suggested keeping pets and livestock locked away from dusk through early morning and avoid feeding pets outside, or pick up food and water bowls well before dark.
If there are recent sightings in the area, parents should escort children to bus stops and remove shrubs from a 30 foot radius around bus stops and play equipment. Have children play in supervised groups when outdoors.
Hikers should hike in groups and make plenty of noise to avoid surprising cougars or other wildlife. Keep a clean camp and store food and garbage in airtight containers. Keep children close by and in direct sight.
Cougars are shy animals and encounters are almost always brief. A person who encounters a cougar should immediately stop, stand tall and pick up any small children. Never run from a cougar or other wild predator; running could trigger the animal’s chase instinct. Do not approach a cougar in the wild, especially if it is guarding an animal carcass or has kittens nearby.
If the cougar becomes aggressive, a person should shout, wave their arms around, and throw things at it – let it know you are a dangerous risk, not a potential meal.
If a cougar does attack, a person should fight it aggressively; cougars can be driven away by people who fight back.
