. Mountain lions may not be trapped for fur in Washington. After the passage of I-655 in 1996, hounds were banned for recreational cougar hunting. The initiative and referendum processes are created by Article II of theWashington Constitution, and they are governed byChapter 29A.72of the Revised Code of Washington. TheWashington State Legislatureis the states bicameral legislative body. Do not approach dead animals, especially recently killed or partially covered deer and elk. Coastal cities like Washington D.C. and San Francisco were already expensive places to live at the start of the 2010s. The hope is that what we learn from this five-year study will help not only inform decisions that are made on how to best manage each of these species in Washington, but also give us more insight into interactions that have been rare until now such as cougar attacks on wolves.. Consider erecting a fence around play areas. It was the state's first confirmed fatal cougar attack in 94 years. They have both limited quota and open season depending on the area. LockA locked padlock The states treatment of wildlife is also governed by theWashington Administrative Code the collection of all the states agency rules. A rash of sightings in Cooper Landing in the 1980s turned out to be a large yellow dog. On Saturday, a cougar attacked a 9-year-old girl near Fruitland, Washington and was shot and killed by armed men at the scene. The species is further classified asbig game, along with elk/wapiti, blacktail deer, mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, mountain goat, caribou, mountain sheep, pronghorn antelope, black bear, and grizzly bear. A human standing does not resemble a mountain lion's natural prey. Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. If you are living in cougar country, prevent a conflict with them by using the following management strategies around your property, and, if possible, encourage your neighbors to do the same. Store meat, other foods, pet food, and garbage in double plastic bags. If you come face to face with a cougar, your actions can either help or hinder a quick retreat by the animal. Mountain lions were eliminated from Illinois before the 1870s due to habitat loss and overharvesting. There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. All rights reserved. Their usual habitat is steep, rocky canyons or mountainous terrain. The Blue Mountains elk herd is one of 10 identified in Washington State. Body length: 3-4 ft. Tail: 2.5-3 ft. An Amish farmer along 944 in Cumberland County complained to the PGC a mountain lion was killing his sheep. Since cougars are solitary, observing multiple tracks suggests a female with offspring. The statesregulationdoes not state what is required on the permit application but requires the applicant to demonstrate that he or she has completed at least six months or 1,000 hours of wildlife rehabilitation under the supervision of an authorized wildlife rehabilitator, provide theWashington Department of Fish and Wildlifewith a letter of recommendation from an authorized rehabilitator who agrees to advise the applicant, submit a written agreement signed by a veterinarian who agrees to serve as the applicants principal veterinarian, successfully complete the Washington General Wildlife Rehabilitation Examination, and have access to suitable rehabilitation facilities. Washingtons latest Cougar Management Plans primary intentions are to manage cougars solely through trophy hunting to: The intentions of bureaucrats are confusing. And though wolves are efficient hunters themselves, scientists recently discovered that theyre falling victim to mountain lions in droves. 98: December 22, 2021: Reynolds: Male mountain lion killed in a vehicle collision. In Washingtonslegal code,Puma concoloris generally referred to as cougar.. Be sure to use the name cougar to accomplish your searches. Download our Coexisting with cougars in Washington: a guide for small livestock owners. Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. Mountain lion attacks on humans are rare in California, despite sharing a habitat with 39 million Californians. For 25 years, from 1936 through 1960, the State of Washington paid a bounty on the 3,064 cougar carcasses presented to government agents. Many of the early settlers trapped beaver, bear, wolf, lynx, fisher, marten, fox and cougar to supplement their income. When making appointments, the governor is to ensure the commission represents diverse viewpoints including sport fishers, commercial fishers, hunters, private landowners, and environmentalists. The state's cougar population is so ruthless, in fact, that the local wolves are being killed at a shocking rate. Hound huntingis not allowed. For example, in Washington, where researchers learned that the mountain lion population was increasing by 14%, hunting has been . Washington State is home to an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 mountain lions and 110,000 whitetails. Raise your arms. In 2012, Washington state heeded this data, lowered its hunting quota and saw a marked . Count yourself very lucky if you spot one of these elusive big catsshy and wide-ranging, the park's mountain lions are rarely seen. Cougar sightings in Seattle are rarethe last time a cougar was reported in Discovery Park was over a decade ago. Genevieve To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. There are specialty breeds of dogs that can defend livestock. Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare. Underparts are dull whitish overlaid with buff across the abdomen. Poaching lawin the State of Washington provides some protection of mountain lions in law, but only as a deterrent. (Meat becomes rotten quickly in the summer and male cougars have to patrol their territory. Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. Since our summary below may not be completely up to date, you should be sure to review the most current law for the State of Washington. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS All seasons are represented. The upper chamber the Senate consists of 49 members who serve 4-year terms. (Bobcat claw marks are normally 2 to 3 feet above the ground; domestic cat scratching occurs at a height of about 1 to 2 feet). Along the Columbia River, a Wanapum petroglyph clearly depicting a cougar is one of hundreds preserved in the Ginkgo Petrified Forest. An official website of the United States government. The only habitats from which they are absent are on the islands of Puget Sound and in the Columbia basin country. So many, in fact, that they've been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the mammal with the most names. Both victims died from rabies, not from the physical injuries. Mountain lion research is usually conducted in collaboration with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Genetic research indicates that the common ancestor of todays Leopardus, Lynx, Puma, Prionailurus, and Felis lineages migrated across the Bering land bridge into the Americas approximately 8 to 8.5 million years ago. What we know as a cougar today became recognizable as a distinct species about 400,000 years ago, and inhabited nearly all of the Americas for hundreds of thousands of years, alongside the giant sloth, the mammoth, the dire wolf and the saber-toothed lion. Where are mountain lions in Washington state? Do not crouch down or bend over. Depredation policy in Washingtonallows an owner to kill one mountain lion that is attacking livestock or domestic animals without a permit. Adult elk was killed by a mountain lion. Since then, state authorities have recorded 19 other cougar-human encounters that resulted in a documented injury, including a second fatal attack in 2018. Female mountain lion P-13 near Malibu Creek State Park in March 2014. Weight: 70-170 lbs. If a mountain lion is caught in a trap, it must be released unharmed. No records are available on the success of these programs, nor how many cougars were actually killed. A. Johnson. The majority of mountain lions in the United States are found in desert or dry habitats, as is the usual in states like California. Because cougars carry their heavy tail in a wide U shape at a normal walk, in snow, the lowermost portion may leave drag marks between each print. Have a light installed as a general safety precaution. Mountain Lions occur throughout Washington except the islands and interior steppe. In order to pass, an initiative must be approved by a simple majority unless the initiative aims to authorize gambling or a lottery, in which case a 60% supermajority is required and at least one-third of those voting in the election must have voted on the measure. There is agovernment-funded compensation programfor owners who have worked with the WDFW to prevent depredation. Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. During the bounty period, most people were concerned only about how quickly the species could be eradicated. As with any guard animal, pros and cons exist. There are now an estimated 5,000-9,000 . Problems easily become obscured by peripherally-related issues such as gun rights, ranching profitability, and the availability of deer or elk to hunters who do not want to compete with cougar for their prey. May 25, 2018. The irony is that the appearance of increasing conflicts is often seen by bureaucrats as evidence that cougar populations are healthy and increasing too. The cougar may remain in the immediate vicinity of its kill, guarding it against scavengers and eating it over a period of six to eight days. The mountain lionalso known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamountis a large cat species native to the Americas. However, mountain lions are not currently classified as threatened or endangered in Washington because theWashington Fish and Wildlife Commissiondoes not believe that mountain lions are seriously threatened with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range within the state. # 94-3015360) | Copyright 1988-2023. In November, a local biologist made a gruesome discovery. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. In addition, to preserve their sharpness for gripping prey, these animals keep their claws retracted most of the time, and so claw marks are rarely visible in their tracks. It is common that husbandry practices need to be addressed to avoid a repeated conflict. Members of the dog family gnaw on bones but usually dont chew them up into cut fragments. Rehabilitation permits are valid for three years if not revoked sooner. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has received more reports of cougars spotted in Bellingham in 2020, but are there more in the area? Female home ranges are about half that of males and there in considerable overlap in female home ranges. Okay, technically, its a mosquito. The initiative classified baiting black bears and hunting black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, and lynxes with dogs as gross misdemeanors in the State of Washington. Height at shoulder: 25-30 in. The size of a lion's territory depends on the availability of food and habitat quality. Also known as mountain lions or pumas, cougars are known for their strength, agility, and awesome ability to jump. However, when humans occupy areas in or near wildlife habitat, and people choose to keep livestock animals such as goats, sheep, and chicken cougar sightings and attacks on livestock and pets may occur. The Canadian provinces of British Columbia . Tigers, leopards, jaguars, mountain lions, cheetahs, black-footed cats (who make a hunting attempt every 30 minutes and are ranked among the worlds most efficient predators), and even domestic cats. In 2009, the Department of Fish and Wildlife successfully tranquilized and relocated a mountain lion from the park back into the wilderness. Annual reports must be completed on the form provided by the department and be submitted before January 31 each year. Cougars involved in human conflict may be live-trapped by trained fish and wildlife personnel and moved to more remote areas, or removed. Late hunting season: Jan. 1 - Apr. Contact a WDFW office to set up an appointment to have the pelt sealed. Washington allows its citizens to propose new laws through its initiative process and to repeal existing laws through its veto referendums. Washington maintains thiswebsiteto help you locate your state legislators. Adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between . 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