Residents in an Oregon town were left unsettled after a large predator popped in for an unscheduled visit.
What's happening?
Fox 12 Oregon reported that a neighborhood in northwest Corvallis was disturbed by the appearance of a cougar with the remains of its prey under a porch.
The concerned homeowners described the frightening scene: "My gaze went farther to their porch and then I saw those huge paws, my heart stopped."
After calling the authorities, the couple was advised to remain indoors. The cougar's arrival prompted several other calls from neighbors. Fortunately, no real harm was done to the residents or their pets.
Why is a cougar sighting concerning?
Despite their fierce appearance, cougars pose little true threat to people and usually stay out of sight. It is extremely rare, but not unheard of, for a cougar to attack a human.
Since 1868, there have been just 29 recorded fatalities in North America, according to Mountain Lion Foundation. The risk is exceptionally low but not zero.
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The bigger concern is the multitude of factors that are driving wild animals into populated areas and risking conflict with people.
One is extensive habitat loss, forcing animals to venture out of their normal range for resources. Another is the disruption to their food sources through contamination and extreme weather events.
Cougars play a huge role in the ecosystem, with one of the largest natural ranges of any mammal on Earth. There's no actual difference between a catamount, cougar, Florida panther, mountain lion, or puma. This cat with so many names interacts with and sustains almost 500 different species from British Columbia to Chile, per a Panthera study cited by Forests of the Future.
What's being done about wild animals in towns?
A local wildlife expert explained that it's not unusual to see cougars near wooded areas, and as long as they're not cornered, they'll usually retreat when they encounter people.
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Definitely 💯 It's important to remain calm and give the animals space. It's really a matter of staying informed of the right way to react and dispelling any harmful misinformation to loved ones.
Acting locally to take sensible precautions is the optimal approach to mitigating human-animal conflict. For those in areas with wild guests, make sure to secure garbage and store food properly to prevent any illicit scavenging.
More importantly still, never feed wild animals, lest they lose their fear of people.
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