Wildlife authorities plan to kill cougar near Bend

BEND, Ore. – Wildlife authorities say they’re planning to kill a mountain lion that’s been deemed a threat to public safety in Bend.

The Bend Bulletin reports cougar activity has been reported five times near homes and businesses in southwest Bend since February. The Department of Fish and Wildlife says that in the last two weeks, a cougar was spotted along a canal near a Fred Meyer store, and a deer kill was discovered along the Deschutes River canyon.

That’s worrisome, especially after a hiker was mauled to death in the Mt. Hood National Forest in September.

Department spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy says authorities hoped the cougar would have moved on by now. The department says it’s clear the cougar is hunting in the area and comfortable around humans, and the longer it stays the more likely an attack on people becomes.

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Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com