VANCOUVER, Wash. — A cougar was spotted several times in west Vancouver last weekend, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
On Aug. 10, the agency received several reports of a cougar sighting southwest of the intersection of Northwest Fruit Valley Road and La Frambois Road, as well as in the same area the next early morning. Another sighting was reported at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at the Shillapoo Wildlife Area near Vancouver Lake.
Though WDFW personnel were dispatched, they were unable to find said cougar.
WDFW said they alerted many residents and are monitoring the area, but there have been no additional reports as of Tuesday morning.
"We are hopeful that the cougar has moved on to more suitable natural habitat as we have not received any additional sightings," the agency said.
WDFW advised people to contact their enforcement team at 877-933-9847 or file a report online if a cougar is spotted. If it's an immediate public safety issue or involves an injured or dangerous animal, contact the WDFW enforcement office at 360-902-2936, call 911 or email enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov.
The agency recommended that if you encounter a cougar, do not run but face the animal, then slowly back away and talk "firmly" to it. Do not crouch, hide or take your eyes off it — and if the cougar doesn't run away, try to scare it by shouting, waving your arms and throwing objects. If attacked, though, fight back aggressively and use bear or pepper spray if you carry it.
