Mail Tribune News - Motorist, cop see cougar near Ashland watershed

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Motorist, cop see cougar near Ashland watershed ASHLAND -- Police Sgt. Mike Bianca was easily able to confirm a motorist's sighting of a cougar on Walker Avenue early Monday. The cougar was not elusive. It walked right past Bianca's patrol car. "What happened was that the cougar crossed right in front of the police cruiser, as if there was a crosswalk for the cougar there -- and that is exactly how he described it," Capt. Mike DeCapua said. Bianca went out to confirm a motorist's report of a cougar sighted at about 12:30 a.m. near a house in the 900 block of Walker Avenue. "He stopped his car, he was looking around for the cougar -- and it walked right past," DeCapua said. "He said it looked very large to him." The cougar was headed south toward the Ashland watershed. Bianca was off duty later Monday and could not be reached for comment. DeCapua said the sighting was the second reported to police in recent weeks. He advised residents, particularly those close to the watershed, to bring small pets indoors at night, cover garbage cans and leave no food out. He said cougars are potentially dangerous animals that should not be cornered or harassed. Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA