Enjoying local wildlife is important to our way of life in the Pacific Northwest. Our parks and open spaces make for great habitat, but please be aware that the City of Bellevue doesn’t have wildlife management authority. It’s especially worth highlighting that we don’t offer trapping, translocation, or lethal removal services for animals involved in conflicts (e.g., black bears and coyotes). The resources below link to many of the frequently asked questions we hear from residents, and follow-ups should be directed to the appropriate agency:
- "Enjoy Bear Country Safely" – Bellevue Parks & Community Services educational document in multiple languages. Please direct questions about black bears to the WDFW.
- "BearWise" – BearWise® is the black bear program you can trust for sound information and smart solutions that help homeowners, businesses, and communities coexist with bears. Please direct questions about black bears to the WDFW.
- "Sharing the Woods with Cougars" – Bellevue Parks & Community Services educational document in multiple languages. Please direct questions about cougars to the WDFW.
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) – Contact information for the North Puget Sound (Mill Creek) Reginal Office, black bears, hunting and fishing regulations, report poaching violations, the WDFW Enforcement Program, report sick/dead/injured wildlife, wildlife diseases information, nuisance wildlife (e.g., beavers and raccoons), injured or orphaned wildlife, find a local wildlife rehabilitator, how to hire a local Wildlife Control Operator, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, aquatic invasive species, and more.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – Bald Eagles (including nests and roosts), birds and their nests as protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, threatened and endangered species, National Wildlife Refuge System, harassment of birds by drones, Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (a.k.a., Duck Stamp), feather repositories, federal permits, and more.
- USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services – Wildlife damage management assistance, airport hazards management, Lacey Act Declarations, and more. A state Wildlife Control Operator is available for hire for certain wildlife species (WCOs do not handle issues involving big game animals such as deer, elk, cougar, bear, or wolves).
- Report dead wildlife on Bellevue’s roadways using the MyBellevue customer assistance portal or by contacting trreception@bellevuewa.gov.
- Bellevue Utilities Department – Salmon Watchers Program, keeping waterways clean, Kelsey Creek camera, New Zealand mudsnails, peamouth minnows, pet waste, stream habitat assessment, Stream Team, report spills near a storm drain or water body, and more.
- Free Educational Programs (Bellevue Parks & Community Services) – Bellevue park rangers offer year-round educational programming on wildlife year-round. These programs are free and are tailored to local species.
Wildlife Videos
Coyote
A coyote seen here at Coal Creek Natural Area. Coyotes are common throughout Bellevue – just seeing one nearby certainly isn’t cause for alarm.
Deer
Bellevue is rich in wildlife. Seen here, a Columbian black-tailed deer walks a game trail at Tax Lot Open Space.
Bobcat
Bobcats roam Bellevue’s parks and open spaces. Note the black spots and banding on the legs and the short, bobbed tail – both of which help us identify this as a bobcat and not a cougar.
Bear
Much of Bellevue is bear country. Bears love easy to get food including trash, birdseed, hummingbird feeders, pet food, compost, orchard fruit, and grills. To help prevent conflicts, please turn your yard into food-free zone. While recreating in the parks, remember to view bears from at least 100 yards away… no sneaking up for “selfies”!