Thank you MNM. It is very disturbing to read a number of the responses here.
We humans are the most dangerous animals on earth. I am far more leery of humans than any other animal. I am more concerned about someone kidnapping or abusing a child than I am about a Puma hurting a child. In a lifetime of living in various environments, with wildlife from the ocean to residents of canyons, and the wilds of the North, I've rarely been threatened by an animal other than a human.
We are in this wildlife environment, encroaching on the other lifeforms within, not visa versa. Their species have been around a lot longer than ours. They are not filled with ulterior motives to harm us. They are simply looking to eat and survive...and are curious. They are intelligent beings.
It is our responsibility to watch out for our children and the other life forms...dogs cats, etc. we bring into the environment.
When I first moved here, the ravens would swoop down from their next in a tree only 12 feet away from my house, and try to pick up my dog. I didn't shoot or poison them. They are highly intelligent animals that live up to 20, sometimes 25 years. I studied about them, and started communicating with them. They stopped. We made peace. They now alert me to certain goings on.
I think we forget how many being from the sky can pick up any one of animals or a small child at any time. I've had body parts, unfortunately of a cat I knew who was allowed to be out, fall out of the sky, inches from my head one time. A very hard experience. Owls also are great hunters of small beings. Cats, allowed to be outside, go missing all the time.
I walk my dog, always on a leash, 4x/day. I have to as I do not have a fully fenced yard. I trained my cat to walk on with a halter, years ago, and he does not go out unless he is on the halter and a lead, on the porch with me, lead in hand.
When I first moved here, about 7.5 years ago, Coyotes ran freely through the property and I'd see them carrying prey in their mouths up Acorn, et. al. I've seen almost none since our extreme drought followed by the fires. I've never been afraid of them, as they are shy beings, unless they are in their pack.
A Bobcat lived across the street for a number of months. We had to pass it every time we went out. We made peace right away, It never threatened my dog, although it was stealthy enough to kill the gorgeous adult raven while it was on the ground. It even let me walk with it, alone, for about a block once. It was amazing...and a privilege.
I love Squirrels. They are very intelligent and can remember up to 10,000 places they've buried their nuts. I can't even count how many times I've had to remove their warm corpses from the streets because some human doesn't pay attn and doesn't care about killing a Squirrel. It is often thought that Squirrels are dumb because they don't run when a car is coming their way. But running is the opposite of what their defense patterns are. When they are under threat, from land or sky, they stop, flatten, attempt to blend in (which they do) and stay absolutely still so the hunting animal does not spot them. It's fascinating. I've watched them dozens of times. My dog doesn't go after Squirrels. They coexist perfectly.
And, by the way, how many times have my dog and I almost been hit walking because humans/drivers don't pay attention? Sometimes, in the winter, I wear 3-4 different brightly colored scarves, along with a multi-colored hat to stand out and we still have to watch very carefully.
If the Puma is putting their head in a person's cat door, secure the door. It is no excuse to harm another animal.
I've lived in many environments, in different parts of the country and the bottom line is human are the most dangerous and destructive animals there are.
We are privileged to live here. To me, one of our responsibilities is to learn about the wildlife we cohabit with.
Listen to the animals you have. My cat and dog always alert me when their is another animal on the property. Also, I watch my dog carefully when we are out. There had been times when we've turned one way on our street at night...a normal route...when he stops, smells the air and ground and turns around. He knows better than I if danger is about and I follow his lead.
Yes, take in your animals at night if possible. Leave lights on outside. Make noise before and when you go out of the house at any time. Noise is a big deterrent to most animals including humans. I always walk w/a hiking stick or ski pole esp. to make noise. I'm an expert shot but haven't carried my gun with me in years and don't want to. And, when I did carry it, it was to protect myself against humans.
The idea that we, as humans, can just do anything we want because we live here, is false and dangerous. To me, respecting, and learning about the animals around us is a big part of our cohabiting with them. We are very careful....just as we would be if we were in the city and alert to humans wanting to make us a target. Neither my animals nor I have had any unfortunate encounters with wild animals here. We have had unfortunate encounters with humans who refused to keep their dogs on leashes when walking.
I am VERY uncomfortable with making the Puma a villain. There are way too many people here, and around the area, who would buy into a story that the Puma needs to be "taken out" and "take out" their guns. There are so few left of these magnificent animals.
We humans are supposed to be intelligent animals, yet we so frequently treat all beings, who have survived as species much longer than we, as not having any intelligence, which is completely erroneous.
Let us be grateful this Cougar and offspring are alive. Let us do what we can to mitigate its' desire and/or need to be closer to the village. Let us take responsibility for our own behavior. And, let us be alert to our environment and the dangers it holds...not just from other non-human beings, but human beings. Thanks for listening.
