Fish and Wildlife says animal captured on home video in Olympia area was a cougar
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed Monday that a video sent to The Olympian last week shows a cougar in a yard in a subdivision off Henderson Boulevard.
But there’s no cause for alarm, said Becky Bennett, a spokeswoman for Fish and Wildlife police.
A singular sighting in the middle of the night is not unusual because that’s when a cougar might be moving through the area, she said Monday. The area where it was spotted — near Henderson Boulevard Southeast and 53rd Loop Southeast, south of Yelm Highway — also is near a large green belt, Bennett said.
If the animal was acting strangely and showed up in the middle of the day, then there might a problem, she said.
Still, she said small pets should be kept indoors at night and pet food should not be left outdoors. Pet food can attract possum, raccoons and feral cats, which can then attract a cougar.
Residents who are outdoors late at night or early in the morning should be aware of their surroundings, she said.
Since the sighting last week, Bennett said she expects the cougar is likely 10 miles north or south of where it was first seen. Cougars usually have a wide range, she said.
Homeowner Peter Brennan, who lives in the unincorporated Thurston County neighborhood, discovered the cougar on one of his video cameras early Thursday morning. He shared the video on social media as well as with Fish and Wildlife and The Olympian.
A cougar sighting also was reported near Olympia’s Watershed Park in August. Fish and Wildlife set up an attractant and camera near the park to confirm a cougar was in the area. But they came up empty.
“No images, no movement, no anything,” Bennett said Monday.
If anyone sees a cougar, they are asked to call Fish and Wildlife dispatch at 360-902-2936.
This story was originally published October 28, 2019 at 11:28 AM.
