This guide, developed in collaboration with island farmers and wildlife managers, is one resource available to download free from our website (see link below).
We’ve received four reports of mountain lion sightings since early summer, but we have not been able to confirm with evidence that a cougar is currently on the island (through scat, tracks, or photo/video from one of our 30 wildlife cameras). We receive many sighting reports every year that are impossible to verify, so it is our policy not to confirm a species presence on the island unless there is hard evidence.
In light of the recent talk about cougars on island, we’d like to share a reminder that one way we can help ourselves, our neighbors, and wildlife on the island is always to be prepared, whether there is a confirmed sighting or not. Because we live on an island near wilderness areas, a mountain lion could swim to our shores at any time.
While sharing the island with a cougar from Aug. 2016 to Aug. 2017, Vashon Nature Center staff discovered and developed many helpful materials. Visit our website’s “Living with Wildlife: Cougar” page for links to useful document and websites. In addition, this page offers information about living with coyotes and this one covers black bears.
For a quick reference, we recommend our Coexisting with Large Carnivores flyer, and for animal owners, our Active Livestock Management Guide. We worked in tandem with farmers and wildlife experts to develop this guide for how to protect pets and livestock. If you know people with animals, please share these resources with them. If you know people who are new to the island or may not have this information, please share this post widely.
Everyone needs to be prepared for wildlife encounters—pet and livestock owners, hikers, residents, and visitors. Wildlife etiquette education is directly linked to a decrease in human-wildlife conflict.
Thanks for taking the time to learn about these animal neighbors and for being proactive!