Two juvenile cougars caught, destroyed on Sunshine Coast
VANCOUVER — Two juvenile cougars have been captured and destroyed by conservation officers on the Sunshine Coast.
The cats attacked livestock not far from Roberts Creek Provincial Park and had been the subject of several complaints, including an incident in which they appeared to be stalking a woman on a local logging road.
“The last complaint was that they were inside a barn killing chickens,” said conservation officer Andrew Anaka. “The complainant was concerned about other livestock such as goats and other animals and that they might become dinner as well.”
An officer attended, set a live trap and captured both cats separately on Feb. 5. Cougars are normally destroyed with a .22-calibre rifle.
The attending officer described the young cats as being about 22 kilograms.
This year has not been kind to cougars. Thirty-five cougars were destroyed in January — 28 by conservation officers — the biggest one-month total in at least five years. The next-highest one-month total during that period was 22 in September 2014.
Roughly 90 cougars are destroyed each year in B.C. Eight cougars have been relocated in the past five years.
Cougar populations vary, usually growing with the amount of prey animals available, such as raccoons and deer, said Anaka.
“The long, cold winter has probably pushed their prey down from higher elevations and closer to towns,” he said. “The cougars are quick to respond and follow.”
Another adult female cougar and a single cub were spotted repeatedly in backyards in Gibsons in January.
The pair had been feeding on a deer carcass over the course of several days, but they appear to have moved on after the carcass was removed by conservation officers.
It is not clear if there are more cougars prowling the lower Sunshine Coast than usual.
“There’s nothing unusual about having cougars pass through our backyards, it’s just unusual that they are being seen,” said Anaka.
COUGAR SAFETY TIPS
Cougars can be unpredictable. Here are some safety tips: • Because of their size and high-pitched voices, cougars may see children as prey. • Dogs make a good early warning system, because they detect cougars more easily than humans. • In rural areas keep children inside at dusk and dawn, when cougars are most active. • If you encounter a cougar, make sure you give it an escape route. • Pick up small children, so they don’t run and provoke an attack. • Never approach cougar cubs or a cougar with prey. • If you are attacked, do not run, do not turn your back. • Make yourself big. Pick up a stick. Fight back. — Source: B.C. Ministry of Environment