Cougar fears keep popular park shut

? With a cougar possibly on the prowl, Seattle’s largest park remained off-limits to holiday weekend revelers as state wildlife agents tried to trap the elusive animal.

On Friday, wildlife agents set a second trap while most people, including runners, picnickers and other nature-lovers obeyed orders to stay out of the popular tree-filled urban retreat known for its spectacular views of Puget Sound.

In the past week, at least four people have made credible reports of cougar sightings in or near Discovery Park, a 534-acre preserve northwest of the city’s downtown. The most recent was on Friday morning, by a man who said he saw a cougar in his driveway as he went out to pick up his newspaper, said Seattle parks spokeswoman Joelle Ligon.

“We’re getting closer and closer to catching this guy, and the less human presence we have, the better our chances of being able to reopen Discovery Park to the public,” Ligon said.