Eventually, I’d like to get back to posting five times a week but at the moment hope for three.

Urban wildlife encounters happen because of resources. So, those nice green lawns and gardens (along with bird baths or other water sources) attract wildlife such as rabbits and deer–regular prey for cougars. Once you feed the prey animals, the predators follow.

Locally those that feed the birds find that rattlesnakes come for the snake smorgasbord provided by those who feed the birds and attract rodents (mice, squirrels, etc) providing an abundant food source for the snakes.

Urban animals (or those on the borders) acclimate to the new surroundings. Most are opportunists and so take advantage of the situation. This particular cougar had been collared previously so it was being monitored–not sure why.

One of the theories is that younger cats are moving into independence and move into urban areas as they seek territories and since they are being driven out by older established animals in normal habitat. I suspect this means they get the less desirable areas adjacent to development and being inexperienced (or curious) they don’t steer clear of humans.

In the past it used to be older, sick, or injured animals that would pose problems so this is an interesting development.

How does an animal interpret a human encounter? For example the driveway cougar… Did he think “hey, this is a great spot to find deer” or maybe “yikes, that meal was way too risky” or something else? Did he associate houses and pavement with humans, deer, or just the specific encounter?