Cougar sightings on the rise, but it's most often a case of mistaken identity

More often than not itB次元官网网址檚 just a deer, but growls and the rustle of brown fur moving in the bush has prompted scores of cougar calls to conservation officers this year.

The Ministry of Environment conservation office has seen a spike in calls of potential cougar sightings, said conservation officer Peter Pauwels, which goes hand-in-hand with a rising cougar population on Vancouver Island.

B次元官网网址淣ow we are starting to get more (cougar) calls,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said. B次元官网网址淲e know there are a lot of cougars out here, but they are behaving themselves.B次元官网网址�

The majority of cougar sightings in Greater Victoria are called in from Metchosin, Highlands and Sooke. Bear Mountain has a few cougar dens, but due to the housing construction and golf courses, itB次元官网网址檚 not likely cougars still live there.

Once a sighting is reported, conservation officers try to verify it's actually a cougar B次元官网网址揃次元官网网址� two to three independent sightings help solidify a claim. Since April conservation officers have received 68 cougar calls from the south Island area and verified about 10.

Occasionally, cougars sightings are reported at Royal Roads University and West Shore Parks and Recreation, both in Colwood. In early June, someone reported a cougar growling in the bushes at the recreation centre.

B次元官网网址淭here are a lot of animals that growl. We donB次元官网网址檛 consider that a sighting,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said. B次元官网网址淐ougars donB次元官网网址檛 like busy places like West Shore parks and rec.B次元官网网址�

The rec centre and Royal Roads err on the side of caution. Even if a cougar sighting canB次元官网网址檛 be proven, they post warnings around the facilities.

Every reported sighting is treated as serious and investigated, even though almost 80 to 90 per cent are mistaken identity, Pauwels said.

B次元官网网址淭he biggest thing mistaken for a cougar is deer,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧eople see deer moving in the bush and see the brown body and think itB次元官网网址檚 a cougar.B次元官网网址�

Even Pauwels was mistaken when he saw a dead deer on the side of the road and thought it was cougar. Raccoons in trees and even house cats seen from a distance have been reported as cougars.

B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 been out searching for a cougar this year,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said.

In most situations conservation officers allow the cougars to the leave the area on their own accord. They might try to catch the cougar if it exhibits unusual behavior such as being aggressive, approaching people, or killing livestock or pets.

B次元官网网址淧eople donB次元官网网址檛 know how difficult it is to catch a cougar,B次元官网网址� Pauwels noted.

The conservation officers sometimes hire a contractor and his cougar hounds to help track down a cougarB次元官网网址檚 location. Hounds set out to sniff out a cougar, but there are challenges in finding big cats in a residential area B次元官网网址� the dogs are trained to smell B次元官网网址渃at."

B次元官网网址淐ougar hounds canB次元官网网址檛 differentiate between a house cat and a cougar. How many people have house cats?"

For this reason, Pauwels said the success of tracking cougars in urban settings is quite low, but once the cougar is spotted it always ends up in the same place. B次元官网网址淲hen we are (tracking) them, theyB次元官网网址檒l end up a tree,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hey are more scared than ever.B次元官网网址�

Conservation officers commonly shoot the cougar with a tranquilizer and then relocate it away from urban areas.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty traumatic experience to be tranquilized, fall out of tree and wake up somewhere new,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said, noting that cougars are territorial and could be in danger if they are moved into anotherB次元官网网址檚 domain. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not like the movies. ItB次元官网网址檚 not always a happy experience.B次元官网网址�

In 18 years on the job, Pauwels has caught about 60 cougars. He stresses that if someone does see a cougar, do not approach it, give it plenty of space and move away slowly.

B次元官网网址淣ever try to run away because that could trigger an attack,B次元官网网址� Pauwels said. B次元官网网址淗umans are not a known food source to cougars, but if you run, they may then think of you as prey.B次元官网网址�

reporter@goldstreamgazette.com