The cougar who has been spotted in Magnolia for the past week has been captured and released back into the wild somewhere in Snohomish County. Discovery Park has reopened to the public.
The cougar was captured this morning around 2 a.m. by wildlife officials and tracking dogs (see photos). The cougar is said to be healthy and weighs 138 pounds. Wildlife officials tell us that is a good size cat for the city and that he is “timid and shy and well-behaved as cougars go.”
We’ve been covering the story all day since we first reported the capture this morning. Here’s the story on the cougar’s capture, an interview with the wildlife official who caught the cougar this morning, an interview with nearby residents and information about how they will now track the cougar via text message once he is released. Our updated cougar sighting map is here.
It was a thrill for us to get to see this amazing animal up close, and here is our favorite picture of the cougar.
The cougar was never given a name but is now known as his tag number, which is 1010. We wish 1010 safe travels.
15 responses so far ↓
1 Mike // Sep 6, 2009 at 12:48 pm
If they give it a name, I suggest 'Rocky' in honor of Rocky Deane Spencer. Rocky Spencer was dedicated to preserving Cougars in the PNW. Here is more info on him, http://www.rockyspencermemorial.org/ and an interview with him http://wdfw.wa.gov/pubaffrs/1stpersn/rspencer.htm
2 Name // Sep 6, 2009 at 1:45 pm
What a beautiful animal!
3 CharlesRedell // Sep 6, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Awesome/interesting coverage MV. Good job and kudos!
Beautiful cat.
4 marycarlton // Sep 6, 2009 at 3:28 pm
The cougar is such an amazingly beautiful animal, but a wild and dangerous preditor. I am so happy he was found, safely captured and re-homed. My daughter was one of the neighbors interviewed for your article and since she, my son-in-law, grandchildren and granddog live next to the park, I'm glad he is no longer roaming the area. As my daughter suggested, he should be named “Dicso” after Discovery Park.
5 mollynorris // Sep 6, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Yeah! Big cats are so amazing. Thank you for the terrific coverage!
6 josss // Sep 6, 2009 at 4:31 pm
lov 2 c people care about the cougars well being. WE may live here now,but
they hav always lived here. Great story lov the ending, returning Disco 2 the wild after caught is the only right thing 2do. Great job 2 all!!!!!!
7 jss121 // Sep 6, 2009 at 6:52 pm
No names, he's a wild animal, not a pet or a spectacle for our amusement. Give him the respect of letting be anonymous.
8 Dee // Sep 6, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Go Cougs!
9 Mike // Sep 6, 2009 at 8:34 pm
He'll never be anonymous now, he's tagged and tracked (which is a good thing for all cougars).
10 MagSea // Sep 6, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Great Coverage!
11 gottabekiddingme // Sep 7, 2009 at 12:43 am
Hahahahhaha get real
12 Drew // Sep 7, 2009 at 7:59 am
Be safe, 1010. I'm sorry you couldn't live here with us, but well, you'd probably eat our little dogs. Good luck out there.
13 RabidDogFan // Sep 7, 2009 at 9:44 am
It's fitting that a dog chased the cougar out of seattle. Fish & Wildlife should post the data associated with the cats wanderings on the net.
14 Drew // Sep 7, 2009 at 9:59 am
Be safe, 1010. I'm sorry you couldn't live here with us, but well, you'd probably eat our little dogs. Good luck out there.
15 RabidDogFan // Sep 7, 2009 at 11:44 am
It's fitting that a dog chased the cougar out of seattle. Fish & Wildlife should post the data associated with the cats wanderings on the net.
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