Have you heard the wild cougar chirp?

Check out this amazing video of cougars on a Whatcom Land Trust protected property, and read a quick note from Land Trust Founder and Board member Rand Jack.

For a double dip of delight, before reading any further, watch the video taken by a motion activated camera on a Whatcom Land Trust protected property.
Now for directions to partake of the second helping of delight. The video likely shows a mom and three youngsters with a young cougar in the lead followed by the mom and two additional youngsters. The mom is tawny, and the three siblings have greyish tinge. Turn up the volume. Listen and watch carefully. About 20 seconds in, the lead young cougar turns its head over its right shoulder and makes a two-toned chirp to the mom. She immediately passes the first cougar and takes the lead. What the young cougar said to its mom, we do not know. Perhaps it saw the camera, became apprehensive and asked its mom to take the lead. Cougars communicate with each other using chirps.

They can also make a loud yowling noise, but they cannot roar. For anatomical reasons, only the four big cats (lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars) can roar, but unlike the smaller cats, they cannot purr. Perhaps, you may have heard the caged bird sing, but now you have heard the wild cougar chirp.

Contributed by Whatcom Land Trust co-founder and Board member Rand Jack