A treed cougar found Saturday morning was shot and killed by police because of the public safety concern it posed in a busy area of downtown Ashland.
According to Oregon State Police (OSP) Sergeant Kirk Meyer, on February 7, 2009 at about 8:45 a.m. OSP troopers from the Fish and Wildlife Division were called to assist Ashland police regarding a report of a cougar in a tree in downtown Ashland. Troopers arrived and contacted Ashland police officers on scene where a cougar weighing approximately 76 pounds was about 20 feet up a tree near Ashland Street and Clay Street.
This is a busy part of town with city streets and a mobile home park next to the tree where the cougar was. There were also other houses and businesses in the general area.
Personnel from Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) joined OSP and Ashland police. The area was cordoned off and a few nearby homes evacuated. The cougar's presence in broad daylight put the public at risk and it was shot to safely remove it from the area.
The incident ended about 10:40 a.m. The dead cougar was taken to ODFW for further examination.
According to Oregon State Police (OSP) Sergeant Kirk Meyer, on February 7, 2009 at about 8:45 a.m. OSP troopers from the Fish and Wildlife Division were called to assist Ashland police regarding a report of a cougar in a tree in downtown Ashland. Troopers arrived and contacted Ashland police officers on scene where a cougar weighing approximately 76 pounds was about 20 feet up a tree near Ashland Street and Clay Street.
This is a busy part of town with city streets and a mobile home park next to the tree where the cougar was. There were also other houses and businesses in the general area.
Personnel from Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) joined OSP and Ashland police. The area was cordoned off and a few nearby homes evacuated. The cougar's presence in broad daylight put the public at risk and it was shot to safely remove it from the area.
The incident ended about 10:40 a.m. The dead cougar was taken to ODFW for further examination.
