- Dusk and dawn are cougars’ most active time of day
- Parks are closed to the public after dark
Salem, Ore. – A cougar has been sighted in the Minto-Brown Island Park conservation area along the river and there have been other recent unconfirmed reports of cougar sightings in the area. Wildlife experts urge park users to be aware and use caution.
The Minto-Brown reserve is a natural habitat for cougars, where deer and other game are present.
“He is actively using the game trails,” said Matthew Johnston, Salem’s Parks Field Supervisor. City staff are keeping an eye on the situation and consulting with experts at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).
Johnston urged particular caution at dawn and dusk when cougars are most active. The park is closed to the public after dark, which is when a majority of the sightings have occurred.
ODFW recommends taking these precautions to avoid encountering a cougar:
- Be alert: Be especially alert at dawn and dusk when cougars are most active.
- Make noise: Hike in groups and make some noise as you go.
- Keep dogs on a leash: Keep dogs on a leash.
- Carry bear spray: Carry bear spray or an air horn.
If you see a cougar:
- From a distance: Calmly leave the area.
- At close proximity: Stay calm.
- Pick up children: Pick up any small children but do so without bending down or turning your back on the cougar.
- Maintain eye contact: Maintain eye contact with the cougar.
- If a cougar approaches: Stay calm, and slowly back away. Don’t run.
- Make yourself bigger: Raise your arms, hold small children, don’t bend down.
- If the cougar seems aggressive: Raise your arms to make yourself look larger and clap your hands.
- If a cougar attacks: Fight back with rocks, sticks, bear or pepper spray, tools or any items available.
Cougars are native to Oregon and found throughout the state.
Cougar sightings in Minto Brown can be reported to ODFW’s South Willamette Watershed District office at 541-757-4186 or call 911 if it is an emergency situation.
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