Seeing Barkley Bear was one thing, but this cougar ‘takes the crown’
Former Whatcom County Council member Sam Crawford said he saw Barkley Bear ambling through his Toad Lake neighborhood a couple summers back, but until President’s Day, he said he’d never seen any wildlife get all that close to his house.
That was the morning he woke up to find that his motion-activated front-door surveillance camera had captured video of a cougar strolling across his front porch at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 17.
“We were really shocked the next morning,” Crawford told The Bellingham Herald. “Our camera records movement, and it sets up a little alert if something activates it. We didn’t wake up — not my wife or the dog — so it was a real surprise the next morning.”
While Crawford said his wife was a bit concerned, especially considering they have pets that are often outside, Crawford said his initial thought was more of amazement.
“I remember thinking how beautiful the cat was,” he said. “It’s so big. I think it’s an amazing mammal.”
Crawford emailed the video to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, which thanked him for sharing the report.
“It clearly shows that the cougar is passing through the are and doing its best to avoid people by traveling through the area when people are least likely to be present,” the department’s response to Crawford said.
The Fish and Wildlife email went on to say that even if the cougar did find a food source, it would likely only remain in the area for a couple of days.
Crawford said he was just happy to have captured the big cat on video while it was in the neighborhood.
“Seeing Barkley Bear on our street was one thing, but this one takes the crown,” he said.
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 4:02 PM.
