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A Washington state principal's encounter with a mountain lion lurking outside his school was caught on video by security cameras.
Bob Hagin, principal of Northwest Liberty School in Woodinville, said he was working in his office about 6 p.m. Friday when he investigated a sound outside his window and saw a cougar staring back at him and pawing at the glass.
Very unusual behavior for a cat. Very. mmmm Not a critter I'd want slinking about a school. I'd call a very tempting , target rich, environment for it. The head shape makes me think it's a tom. Not totally sure about that though. Its general demeanor seemed more curious than threatening, but being those folks inside that room I'd be thankful for the window separation.
I'm quite surprised there hasn't been more commentary on this. This is very interesting. At least to me. This is way out of character for a cat. What caused him to venture into such a heavily human area piques my curiosity. Having dealt with cats most of my life and having seen some out of character stuff (but nothing like this) I wonder what if any action was taken after this sighting.
NVplumber, this behaviour of coming to windows and patios and pawing at the glass to get in is not at all out of character for both cougars and bears in the PNW in particular. There are youtube videos posted online of several incidents. They have become quite adapted to humans and human habitations in the PNW.
Every year in both Washington and British Columbia there are accounts of cougars coming into residential neighbourhoods in towns and cities, even a few accounts of cougars visiting busy downtown business and shopping districts, and many, many, many accounts of black bears doing the same thing. Most people living or working in residential outskirts and greenbelt areas around here know to not leave their doors or windows open and unattended otherwise they could find a cougar or bear wandering around inside their house or store or office building.
One of the more memorable recent incidents was in October 2015 when a young adult cougar strolled into the capital city of BC (Victoria) and visited the provincial legislative buildings. It led wildlife conservation officers, city police and dozens of media reporters on a merry chase throughout the busy downtown neighbourhood. At one point when it was cornered it leaped over the heads of the people and dashed down a plaza corridor, it was an amazing thing to see how high it could leap. The entire chase and eventual tranquilizing and capture of it was all caught on video cameras and presented on the TV news that evening.
When people in the PNW are out hiking, or walking their dogs or kids in parks, seashore paths, hiking trails, etc. most are aware of the importance of keeping pets on close leash and children within arms reach because of the danger that thieving cougars pose. Desperate cougars will think nothing of suddenly appearing out of nowhere and snatching up a small dog or child if the opportunity presents itself, and trying to dash off with it. There are several accounts of cougars trying to make off with dogs as they're out walking with their owners and of the owners beating the crap out of the cougars to get their dogs back from them.
Just look online about cougar and bear encounters in Washington and British Columbia towns. Most of the accounts are not about attacks on people, some are about attacks on dogs and livestock, but mostly they are accounts of scavenging for food, trashing of property, and thievery of non-food items. Cougars and bears are notorious thieves and will walk off with the most incongruous items left lying around in back yards and on front porches.
NVplumber, this behaviour of coming to windows and patios and pawing at the glass to get in is not at all out of character for both cougars and bears in the PNW in particular. There are youtube videos posted online of several incidents. They have become quite adapted to humans and human habitations in the PNW.
Every year in both Washington and British Columbia there are accounts of cougars coming into residential neighbourhoods in towns and cities, even a few accounts of cougars visiting busy downtown business and shopping districts, and many, many, many accounts of black bears doing the same thing. Most people living or working in residential outskirts and greenbelt areas around here know to not leave their doors or windows open and unattended otherwise they could find a cougar or bear wandering around inside their house or store or office building.
One of the more memorable recent incidents was in October 2015 when a young adult cougar strolled into the capital city of BC (Victoria) and visited the provincial legislative buildings. It led wildlife conservation officers, city police and dozens of media reporters on a merry chase throughout the busy downtown neighbourhood. At one point when it was cornered it leaped over the heads of the people and dashed down a plaza corridor, it was an amazing thing to see how high it could leap. The entire chase and eventual tranquilizing and capture of it was all caught on video cameras and presented on the TV news that evening.
When people in the PNW are out hiking, or walking their dogs or kids in parks, seashore paths, hiking trails, etc. most are aware of the importance of keeping pets on close leash and children within arms reach because of the danger that thieving cougars pose. Desperate cougars will think nothing of suddenly appearing out of nowhere and snatching up a small dog or child if the opportunity presents itself, and trying to dash off with it. There are several accounts of cougars trying to make off with dogs as they're out walking with their owners and of the owners beating the crap out of the cougars to get their dogs back from them.
Just look online about cougar and bear encounters in Washington and British Columbia towns. Most of the accounts are not about attacks on people, some are about attacks on dogs and livestock, but mostly they are accounts of scavenging for food, trashing of property, and thievery of non-food items. Cougars and bears are notorious thieves and will walk off with the most incongruous items left lying around in back yards and on front porches.
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Cats are quite plentiful here in my stomping grounds but encounters in urban settings are unheard of. I've had a lot of experience with them in a very rural setting on my ranch when they took to killing my cattle and my neighbors sheep. But these were ninja maraudings done in stealth. The cats never ventured close to our dwellings. Coyotes do, but they are bold around people as a matter of course.
As to the physical abilities of Mountain Lions I can fully attest. I've seen them take a full grown four point buck up a sheer rock face where a house fly would have trouble hanging on. And do it in short order. They are quite strong and VERY athletic. One old tom with a weak foot ( we dubbed him Weakfoot) was the culprit in our worst stock losses and it took us a month to track him down and put an end to it. Had to call in my Shoshone buddy, a consummate tracker, and he and I finally stopped the carnage. He was killing for sport. Thrill killing. He laid waste to an entire pen of my neighbors ewes and lambs and only ate the milk bags from the ewes. He took out a few of my calves and hardly touched the kills as well.
But we never saw him till we tracked him down and cornered him in a box canyon. Without his handicap he could have scaled it, but the hurt leg precluded this feat. Our cats seldom exceed their mandate. We accept a certain amount of stock loss. But this old boy got a bit over his limit and rather ticked us off. Having a cat come peak in our windows? Well, not while I was awake to see it and the dogs would have gone zerko had a cat come in the yard areas. As would have the horses. Horses won't tolerate even the smell of a cat and while out in the mountains a guy best listen to his horse. They will tell you when there's a cat nearby, or a bear as well. They balk and snort and won't go up the trail.
Our cats here are colored different than Pac NW models as well, tending to be a mousy grey rather than the tawny colored types most folks have seen on TV. I can't imagine having cats getting as bold as this video regular like.
I believe those are usually young males going out and trying to find their own territories. When the mountain lion population increases, these young males have very little space left that isn't already occupied by a more senior male. Therefore, they come closer to human habitation trying to find their own space they can call their own. It's more about desperation on the cougars part. They need to find unclaimed territory or have an older male probably kill them.
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