Public warned after numerous cougar sightings

B y JAMES MILLER The Okanagan Saturday

Conservation officers are warning Penticton residents of multiple cougar sightings during daytime hours.

A mother cougar was first reported to officers at the end of December but more activity has been observed over the past several days. The mother has three juveniles believed to be between one year and 18 months in age, weighing about 75 pounds each and still reliant on her for food.

“They’re still reliant on mom to a large degree, but they’re not far off,” conservation sergeant Jim Beck said in an interview.

“She’s making successful kills of mule deer. She appears to be healthy doing what cougars should do. Penticton has no shortage of urban deer and she’s clued into this. Urban deer are not as wary as bush deer because there’s a lot of noise and dogs and other disturbances making it an easy area for her to hunt.”

The cougars are mostly roaming the corridors between Penticton Creek and the eastern side of Ellis Creek, but they are making their way into developed areas. There have been daytime sightings on Basham Court, Lawrence Place, Saliken Drive and Okanagan Avenue E.

In one case, the mother entered a back yard where a family and dog were present. The cougar ignored the dog and humans.

Beck asks anyone who observes a cougar or spots a successful deer kill to contact conservation officers at 1-877-952-7277.

RCMP and nearby schools have been notified.

Cougar attacks on humans are rare, but Beck said residents living in those areas should educate themselves by visiting the website: wildsafebc.com.