A cougar may have been sighted in Ballard in the wee hours of the morning near Shilshole. The Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hasn’t had any confirmed reports of a cougar in Seattle, but that’s it’s not unheard of for a cougar to make its way into the city. The reports originated on the Nextdoor.com forum.
Michelle Picinich from the WDFW said that anyone who believes they’ve seen a cougar should attempt to take a photo (if it’s safe to do so) and send it to the department. However, she said it’s fairly common that people mistake other animals for a cougar, such as a large housecat or even a coyote.
If a cougar is indeed wandering through our neighborhood, officers will do what they can to usher it out of the city. Picinich said that cougars are so active that even if the cougar was spotted at 3am, it would likely be miles away by midday. Occasionally they’ll use dogs to help chase it out. “It sends a message to the cougar that this is not a fun place to be, and don’t come back,” Picinich said.
If you have a wildlife observation to report, call WDFW at 425-775-1311. You can also add observations to this interactive map. To learn more about cougars, visit this informational page from WDFW.
