3-16-2024
Wow! I just got done reading a well written and suspenseful update article on the cougar attack of 2-17-2024 And I tip my biker helmet to the victim and her fellow bikers' extraordinary courage, who defended her from this horrific attack; all petite women in their late 50s/early 60s. Careful the pictures are graphic, poor Keri Bergere, the victim one month later has a swollen scarred face from the bites, but full of amazing spirits. I hope she reocovers well & heals up soon.
You can read about it here.
King County - According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), 5 cyclists encountered aggressive cougars resulting in an attack, injuring an adult female cyclist while mountain biking northeast of Fall City, WA. Fortunately the 60 year old victim is recovering from her injuries and in stable condition. Her fellow bikers pinned down the beast until WDFW could be brought in. 1 "sub adult" / (6 month?) cougar was removed/shot, but the other is still at large, according to eye witnesses & WDFW. A "houndsman"has been hired to track and hopefully trap the 2nd cougar by WDWF.(1)(4)
Click here to choose interactive list of attacks and map location in Washington State going back to 1980?
On February 2, 2023 A Cougar attacked A 5 year Old Boy, "Jack Trexler was attacked around 6:50 p.m. Tuesday while he was walking with his mother and grandparents along Tunitas Creek Road in rural San Mateo County. California wildlife officials searched for the cougar near the scene that night but were unable to locate it."Jack's mother, Suzie attacked the cougar, and it released her son, and she rescued him to a safe place away from the wild animal.
The poor kid suffered many "lacerations to his face and a fractured bone near his eye, according to his aunt." Searches for the cougar were unsuccessful that day. Unfortunately wildlife searchers were not given permission to search in an ajoininig private property and were unable to locate the cougar.
"There have been 21 other known attacks, according to the fish and wildlife department. Only three have been fatal.
The last incident before Tuesday’s occurred in September when a cougar attacked a 7-year-old boy in Pico Canyon Park in Los Angeles County. That child also survived."(2)
Click here to see a list of attacks in California going back to 1986.
Personally, I had 2 goats slaughtered just this past summer right here in Agate Bay at Lake Whatcom. The first was eaten on July 1, 2023 and the 2nd a month later. I was very suprised because I've had goats since 2012 and have never had any of them attacked / eaten. In speaking to the WDFW Ranger, the method of feasting, from below revealed that the culprit was indeed a mountain lion. In the past my security cameras have caught them at night; in 2020 one is videod jumping straight up over my gate like it's nothing after staring at the camera (See video below). The last part of the footage caught the cougar jumping back over the gate, chased by my then awesome dog, Abby (RIP) off my property. So I'm wondering if Cougars (Mountain Lions) are getting more aggressive due to coming closer and closer to residential areas looking for deer and other prey?
(1) https://wdfw.wa.gov/newsroom/wdfw-statement/wdfw-statement-cougar-incident-king-county
(2) https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/state-wildlife-officials-unable-to-catch-mountain-17763190.php
(3) Cougar image: https://pixabay.com/
(4) King5 video above
(5) Cougar video source: Me
By Chief Editor Angelo-Lk-Whatcom-Rider-Writer, Updated w/ security cougar video 2-23-24
About The writer: I've lived in Bellingham since February, 2011, and love the beautiful trees & greenery producing all that oxygen, and of course, the lake, bay, hills and mountains too. I've also been in the lovely Anacortes area for part of that time, going back and forth, since moving here.
Educational/Professional Background: Economics & Political Science Degrees at UCF. Attended Graduate School of Economics at FSU, and have worked for the FL Labor Dept as well as consulted for the FL Labor Dept on behalf of the US Labor Dept. I've been happily working in my own businesses since 1993.