COUGAR: A Big Cat community

I would like to compliment the community, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Department, Coeur d’Alene Parks, The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene Police, Security, Coeur d’Alene Press, GEG TV, and area radio for the outstanding handling and establishing community awareness of the cougars urban presence. And all carried on in a normal but somewhat heightened awareness.

And the cougar, always curious but shy, reclusive, strong, afraid of adult humans, sentient, intelligent and a magnificent animal essential for our ecosystem and our nation’s only Big Cat … handled himself in character! This is a model example of the way we can live with the Big Cat and other wildlife and allow nature to take its course relatively undisturbed.

With the continual habitat loss, climate change and human interference, Coeur d’Alene will continue to have occasional urban cougar visits. Our area is prime habitat along the Bitterroots and lake with an abundance of predator and prey animals, all species.

I believe more than 90 percent of the USA approves of this kind of approach to living with the Big Cat and wildlife in general. Education and awareness is the key … just outstanding.

JAMES H. MUNDY IV

Big Cat Specialist

Coeur d’Alene