Editor's Note: This story has been updated from its original version with new information from Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Summer session at Washington State University has begun. But now, a possible cougar has killed as many as five spring lambs at WSU’s barn facilities.
There are four lambs missing, and one additional lamb was found dead. According to Staci Lehman, with the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife, it looks like a cougar kill. The lamb that was found dead was thought to be killed over the weekend, but the other four went missing on Monday, Lehman said.
“It’s unfortunate,” she said. “You know as humans, we’re moving further and further out that were formerly wildlife habitat. And when people are raising animals – poultry or small livestock – it can be an easy attraction for wildlife. If they get a taste for that, they can be habituated.”
The found lamb was necropsied at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine hospital this week. The predator is thought to be a cougar by wildlife experts because of the bite marks on the neck, Lehman said. Each lamb that was killed or disappeared weighed about 60 pounds and they all were born early this spring, she said.
The killing happened on Terre View Drive between Pullman Airport Road and Northwood Drive near the Palouse Ridge Golf Club and on the edge of campus.
Stay alert
Now, WSU police are warning residents and student Cougars to be on the alert. They also advise people to keep a close eye on children and pets.
“Pay attention to your environment, and supervise children and pets accordingly,” said WSU Police Chief Gary Jenkins in an announcement to WSU students, faculty and staff Wednesday evening. “Call 911 if you see a cougar.”
Secure your livestock and property
Lehman said everyone in the Northwest should take steps to secure their property and livestock from coyotes, wolves, bears and cougars. Take in animal feed to a garage or a locked building. Keep garbage secure, and invest in good electric fencing, she said. Livestock owners should also try to bring animals indoors or to a secured barn or enclosed coop at night, she said.
On your feet and lethal force
University police are working in coordination with the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife. The state agency says if a cougar attacks, fight back and try to stay on your feet.
Lehman said her agency isn’t sure if they’ll use lethal force to remove the possible cougar. The wildlife experts have installed cameras that alert on employees’ phones if there is movement in the area at WSU.
“At this point it would depend on the situation,” Lehman said. “It would depend on how soon. If it was aggressive. If a cougar walks through a person’s yard a couple of miles away, we can’t know for sure if that’s the same cougar. If a cougar does come back and go directly to the sheep pen that was approached in the first incident, we’d probably consider lethal removal.”
