Cougar sightings have residents nervous in Newcastle…

No, it’s not this…

and it’s not this…

But THIS creature which is putting some residents a little on edge just outside of Renton.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife file photo

Here is an email I recently received…
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This cougar was less than 100 yards from my house….

Cougar Alert

January 16th, 2009

We’ve had sightings of coyotes and bobcats in recent days, but here’s a warning everyone should take very seriously. Amy just emailed me to say a cougar was in her flower bed around 8 this morning. She lives at the end of 135th Place SE where it backs into the woods in the View Pointe/Olympic Ridge/Rainier Crest/China Falls area. The cougar took off as soon as it spotted Amy. She has already called Fish and Wildlife, but wanted to get the word out to neighbors as well. Cougars are a much greater threat to humans than bobcats, so please keep an eye out.

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I know, perhaps we should expect this right at the base of Cougar Mountain (although I don’t know what that means for residents of Tiger Mountain…yikes!)

In any case, with the big lions making their way so close to our homes, now is a good time to remind people how dangerous these secretive predators can be.

Here is a great Washington State site for more information and tips.

It sounds like one trick for keeping the lions out is to try to keep the deer out. If you have deer regularly tromping through your yard, the cats may be following. Keep an eye on your little children in the late afternoon and evening hours if you think you have Cougars in the area.

My wife and I have been pretty sure we’ve been near one or more cougars on the Honey Creek/May Creek trail, in the NE part of Renton. From time to time on evening horse rides, our horse (who was caught in the wild) starts to get real nervous, twitchy, and starts suggesting –with his body language– different directions he thinks we should flee. But to date we have never actually seen a cougar down in these natural areas.