Cougar puts Burley residents on edge

January 1, 2004

By ARTURO SANTIAGO / KING 5 News

Some residents of the town of Burley, Wash. near Port Orchard believe there is a cougar among them, and they fear both thier livestock and thier children, are at risk.

"A lot of kids in the area, a lot of kids up and down Bethel Burley Road here on bicycles, they go down to the creeks in little nooks and crannies far away from the road so you never know what's gonna wait for them back there," said resident Donna Armbrust

Armbrust said wildlife in the area likes to travel along Burley Creek, which runs adjacent to her property.

A cougar looks down from its perch in a tree. (File Photo)
Not far from her farm, residents say a cougar killed a neighbor's donkey near this stretch of Burley-Ollala Road and they're spreading the word to keep an eye out.

Maria Moore put up warning posters at the Burley Store where she works.

"As far as my grandchildren, whenever they come, we're always outside whenever they're playing outside," said Moore.

She said she saw the cougar and thinks it's responsible for killing two of her kittens. She said it was the size of a full-grown German shepherd.

The cougar has even been spotted at Burley Park, a Mecca for young children at play.

"You know if a cougar is that desperate, desperately hungry to take down a donkey. Well then it wouldn't think twice about jumping a fence to get your family dog or to get to a child," Burley said.