At approximately 7:50 a.m. this morning, Aug. 17, Bend Police received a new report of a cougar sighting, this time in the 1500 block of NW Remarkable Drive. Community service officers conducted an area check and were unable to locate the cougar. The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife has been advised of the sighting, and the public is reminded to keep small animals secure and on leash.
This is the second report of a cougar sighting in the area. At about 11:05 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, Bend Police responded to a report of a cougar sighting in the 2500 block of NW O’Brien Court. A caller reported that a young cougar had been in her yard before running southwest.
The caller showed officers a video of the cougar in the yard. Officers searched the area, including nearby Central Oregon Community College, but were unable to locate the cougar. Bend Police have shared information about the cougar sighting with Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Oregon State Police.
While ODFW reports that cougar attacks on people are extremely rare, you should not approach any wildlife, and if you encounter a cougar, you should give it a way to escape.
You can report cougar sightings to nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 or ODFW if you believe the animal poses a threat to humans.
Learn more about cougars in Oregon here: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/
