Wildlife experts are warning pet owners to be extra cautious amid several cases of cougar sightings and pet attacks..Residents of Surrey’s Leone’s condo building, near 196 Street and 64 Avenue, were shocked to learn of a late-night visit in their parkade by a cougar late last week..Video shows the cougar walking down the ramp into the building’s underground parking area..The cat could soon be seen turning tail and running just ahead of the headlights of a vehicle exiting the parkade..Vanessa Isnardy, WildSafeBC Provincial Coordinator said once rare cougar sightings are occurring more and more..“No one knows exactly what’s going on in the landscape, what is pushing these animals into urban areas,” she said..“It is unusual to see a spike like this, but these things do happen occasionally.”.There have been several reports over the past few months of cougars attacking pets in the Tri-Cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody..BC Conservation Officer Service captured and killed three different big cats in March because, said conservation officers, the cougars had lost their fear of humans..Isnardy said she understands why some pet attacks happen..“A healthy cougar typically hunts deer, that’s their primary prey,” she said..“But they’re also opportunistic and they will hunt other animals as well.”.Typically, cougars that do kill domestic pets are younger males without the experience and hunting skills of more experienced cougars..Conversely, Isnardy said, it’s sometimes older big cats that will hunt domestic prey because their hunting skills have decayed..Attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare, she added..“In terms of fatalities with cougars, it’s been 10 (attacks) in about 100 years.”.Isnardy warns pet walkers should be extra vigilant during late night strolls..“We do recommend people keep their pets on a leash and to avoid going out in a forested habitat in the dark when your sight line is poor.”.Isnardy said takes precautions when she walks her own pet..“I’ve had the bushes rustle a couple times on me and my dog would start growling and now that I know better, I realize it’s not a good time of day to walk in the forest when it’s dark in the prime hunting time for cougars and other predators.”.Anyone who spots a cougar is urged to report the sighting by calling the province’s Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277..Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard..,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
Wildlife experts are warning pet owners to be extra cautious amid several cases of cougar sightings and pet attacks..Residents of Surrey’s Leone’s condo building, near 196 Street and 64 Avenue, were shocked to learn of a late-night visit in their parkade by a cougar late last week..Video shows the cougar walking down the ramp into the building’s underground parking area..The cat could soon be seen turning tail and running just ahead of the headlights of a vehicle exiting the parkade..Vanessa Isnardy, WildSafeBC Provincial Coordinator said once rare cougar sightings are occurring more and more..“No one knows exactly what’s going on in the landscape, what is pushing these animals into urban areas,” she said..“It is unusual to see a spike like this, but these things do happen occasionally.”.There have been several reports over the past few months of cougars attacking pets in the Tri-Cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody..BC Conservation Officer Service captured and killed three different big cats in March because, said conservation officers, the cougars had lost their fear of humans..Isnardy said she understands why some pet attacks happen..“A healthy cougar typically hunts deer, that’s their primary prey,” she said..“But they’re also opportunistic and they will hunt other animals as well.”.Typically, cougars that do kill domestic pets are younger males without the experience and hunting skills of more experienced cougars..Conversely, Isnardy said, it’s sometimes older big cats that will hunt domestic prey because their hunting skills have decayed..Attacks on humans are extraordinarily rare, she added..“In terms of fatalities with cougars, it’s been 10 (attacks) in about 100 years.”.Isnardy warns pet walkers should be extra vigilant during late night strolls..“We do recommend people keep their pets on a leash and to avoid going out in a forested habitat in the dark when your sight line is poor.”.Isnardy said takes precautions when she walks her own pet..“I’ve had the bushes rustle a couple times on me and my dog would start growling and now that I know better, I realize it’s not a good time of day to walk in the forest when it’s dark in the prime hunting time for cougars and other predators.”.Anyone who spots a cougar is urged to report the sighting by calling the province’s Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277..Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard..,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
