A cougar sighting just before noon monday, in the parking lot between Siuslaw Elementary and Siuslaw Middle Schools, prompted a quick recall of students who were outdoors at the time. A school district spokesperson said all students were immediately recalled and additional outdoor activities for the day were cancelled.
Florence police were also called and spent part of the afternoon walking the area to look for the cat.
The spokesperson also said parents were notified via “robo-calls” Monday afternoon.
Wildlife biologists say cougars are territorial creatures and a tom can range over an area of several square miles. Females have a smaller range, but can move around a significant amount as well.
This is in the same area where several cougar sightings have been made over the past three years.
