A 140-pound male cougar was too close for comfort, hanging around homes and a school near Enumclaw. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife trapped the animal and then “hard released” the cougar using Karelian Bear Dogs and shooting bean bags to scare the animal away so it won’t return to the neighborhood. Fish and Wildlife officers fitted the cougar with a radio collar which will monitor its whereabouts.
There are approximately 2,000 cougars in Washington State. To learn more about cougars and co-existing with them visit GBOP’s website