Nuisance animals often a human-created problem

Chintimini Wildlife Center Executive Director Jeff Picton gave a presentation Wednesday night on conflicts between humans and animals - such as a certain young cougar - saying that such problems often were created by people providing easy sources of food or shelter.

Killing or relocating animals often only is a temporary solution, Picton told the audience of about 40 people at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.

"When you don't address the underlying problem -. other ones are going to come back," he added.

People attract wildlife by leaving pet food out at night, garbage cans uncovered or even feeding wildlife such as deer.

"There's an adage, 'Predators follow the prey,'" Picton said.

Much of the discussion concentrated on cougars, such as the cougar that had been roaming in northwest Corvallis last month.

Stacey Dean, who lives on Rolling Green Drive near where the cougar was photographed, said people aren't actively feeding deer in his neighborhood. There's simply an abundance of deer and not enough predators.

"We have so many deer in that area, we have deer in our yard every day," he said. "Talk about nuisance animals - the deer are the nuisance animals."

Picton said the cougar might be following prey through the woodsy areas near houses. Young mountain lions also can be curious like young house cats, he said.

Although Corvallis is in the heart of puma habitat, people shouldn't overreact to cougar sightings, Picton said. The animals generally avoid humans and even other cougars.

"The chance of getting attacked and killed by a cougar are very minimal, even if you live in cougar country," he said.

Still, while in or near forested areas, he recommended recreating with others, and taking precautions such as not leaving children unattended and securing pets, which can be an easy food source.

Those who encounter a cougar that doesn't back down should not run away. Rather, they should back away slowly and also try to intimidate the cougar by making noise. If attacked, fight back.

For more information, go to www.chintiminiwildlife.org and click on "living with wildlife."

Kyle Odegard can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.