Port Ludlow, WA: lion in residential neighborhood

[Emily]

http://www.komotv.com/news/local/16921251.html

Port Ludlow residents spooked by cougar sightings





YouNewsTV™
Story Published: Mar 21, 2008 at 10:59 PM PDT
Story Updated: Mar 22, 2008 at 9:48 AM PDT
By KOMO Staff
Watch the story
PORT LUDLOW, Wash. -- A wild predator lurking too closely to their homes have unnerved some local residents who are now demanding a solution from wildlife officials.

Mike and Dee Jacobs were eating dinner Thursday night with their kids when an unbelievable sight unfolded in front of them.

"At first is was kind of scary, not having any idea at first," said Mike.

But the family soon realized that a cougar was staring at them from their back yard through their kitchen window.

"It was sitting there facing the house, staring in and watching the kids eat dinner," said Mike.

Mike grabbed his camera and snapped some pictures to document the sighting. His kids, however, were less amused. In fact, they were terrified.

"One of them, the middle one, went running down the hallway, screaming, crying because she was afraid of it," he said.

It was the little girl's first cougar sighting, but it wasn't the first time a cougar had been spotted in the area. A cougar was spotted at a Port Ludlow golf course several weeks ago.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says it would normally set loose hound dogs to track a cougar then set up a trap, but they chose not to unleash the hounds since the sightings were in residential areas.

But Dee says not doing anything is not acceptable.

"I want something more done," she said. "I don't want to be sitting here and a mountain lion comes and kills my children."

Port Ludlow is surrounded by wooded areas, and cougar sightings are not uncommon. But the residents say the cougars have been lurking around too closely.

"Now all the families in the area don't even want to let their kids out with parents," said Mike.

Wildlife officials no plans to set up traps for now. They say they may later plan for traps if the cougars return and demonstrate aggressive behavior toward humans.