Downtown Ashland cougar sightings cause alarm

ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) – A rash of cougar sightings in Ashland is causing alarm, but state wildlife officials say that because the big cats have all been spotted at night and haven’t attacked anyone, it’s not a public safety concern.

The Daily Tidings reports Friday that there have been about six cougar sightings in the past week, including by a grocery store, by a library, by a fire station and near a shopping complex.

Steve Niemela, district wildlife biologist with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, says all the sightings except one have involved a cougar feeding on a deer at night.

Niemela says it would take many sightings of cougars during the day to trigger a public safety concern.

State wildlife officials are working with the Ashland Police Department to monitor the situation.

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Information from: The Ashland Daily Tidings, http://www.dailytidings.com