Iowa City cougar search is on

If there was any doubt that a cougar could be on the loose in Iowa City, Misha Goodman, Director of the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center, settled it Thursday.  Goodman spent time combing the area behind the HyVee on the East side, 812 S. 1st Ave, where a cougar was allegedly spotted late Wednesday afternoon.

"We did have a cougar killed in 2009 in Iowa, so we know that they probably exist here," Goodman said.

This is the second "cougar sighting" this month in Iowa City.  On September 2, two Iowa City elementary schools cancelled outdoor recess in response to multiple calls to police about a lurking cougar.

Thursday Goodman said if there is a cougar in the area it's more than likely trying to hide.  "They really are not into people, they don't like people, they're reclusive and they're not interested in coming up to people," she said.  "But we still take it seriously."

Police are also taking the recent sightings seriously.  A Wednesday night press-release gave step-by-step instructions on how to handle a cougar encounter.

According to Tim Thompson of the Iowa DNR there have been no

confirmed cougar sightings.