Police shot and killed a cougar that was spotted in a northwest Bend neighborhood Wednesday after officials said it was showing behavior that may have put people in danger.
Bend Police say a cougar was first spotted about 10:17 a.m. Wednesday on NW 3rd Street and Portland Avenue. Community service officers who responded found a dead deer in the backyard of a nearby home. The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife removed the deer and posted warning signs about a cougar in the area.
Police say another report of a cougar sighting came in at 8:20 p.m. A driver reported almost hitting a cougar as it crossed NW Saginaw Avenue.
Dispatchers reportedly received more calls about a cougar in the area.
Officers who responded saw people walking their dogs before spotting the cougar about 6 feet from the road in the 500 block of NW Roanoke Avenue.
Police say the animal was “exhibiting behaviors consistent with being a public safety risk, including showing no fear of humans in extremely close proximity, hunting in a heavily populated area and returning to the kill site.”
Bend Police said ODFW had advised them earlier in the day that if the cougar returned and showed such behavior, it should be put down. Officers shot and killed the cougar and ODFW took it into custody.
State biologist Andrew Walch determined the 77 pound cougar was a one- to two-year old female, essentially a teenage cougar. It had not gestated meaning it was not pregnant, nor was it caring for kittens.
There were no reports about people or pets being harmed by the cougar.
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A month ago, a Bend man shared with us this video from his Ring doorbell camera of a cougar walking around his front porch.
