A recent sighting of a cougar in urban Nanaimo has prompted words of caution from a conservation officer.

A woman reported to conservation officers that she was walking her dog along a trail at Long Lake Saturday afternoon when she saw a cougar come out of the water. She rushed from the scene with her small dog and was unharmed, but according to Stuart Bates, B.C. conservation officer, running from a cougar is not recommended.

B次元官网网址淩ule No. 1, if youB次元官网网址檙e confronted by a cougar, is donB次元官网网址檛 scream and run,B次元官网网址� Bates said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like rolling a ball in front of a cat. Sometimes they canB次元官网网址檛 not chase it.B次元官网网址�

The best thing to do is to make yourself look big by throwing open your coat, holding a backpack over your head or opening an umbrella, say conservation officers. Talk to the animal and back away slowly the way you came and always maintain eye contact with the cat.

B次元官网网址淚f the cat wanted to catch her it would have caught her [and] most people,B次元官网网址� Bates said.

Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare, but the chances of being attacked by a cougar on Vancouver Island are better than just about anywhere else, Bates said, because of the number of cougars on the Island. Even so, the average is less than one attack per year on the Island.

B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 had one now for a couple of years,B次元官网网址� Bates said.

The last documented cougar sighting in the Long Lake area was on Aug. 30.

B次元官网网址淭hey come out of Linley Valley,B次元官网网址� Stuart said. B次元官网网址淯sually they go the other way. They go down to Hammond Bay towards Neck Point or they head into Departure Bay by the golf course and they do swim. ThatB次元官网网址檚 how they get to islands like Gabriola Island.B次元官网网址�

A pet cat was allegedly killed by a cougar in August, but pets such as cats and small dogs, Bates said, should be kept indoors at night to avoid being harmed or killed by a range of predatory wildlife that lives in and around Nanaimo, including cougars, raccoons, eagles and owls. Also, if a cougar kills a deer, house cats will be attracted to the scent of the kill and once at the scene the cougar might see the cat as competition for its food and kill the cat.

B次元官网网址淲e have cougars B次元官网网址� WeB次元官网网址檝e also had a couple out at Westwood Lake, Buttertubs Marsh,B次元官网网址� Bates said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 that time of year. As the deer start to come to town as winter approaches. the cougars are going to follow them.B次元官网网址�

Bates also said itB次元官网网址檚 important to call conservations officers right away after spotting cougars or bears. Early reporting could avoid allowing time for the animal to become accustomed to humans and possibly becoming problem.

B次元官网网址淲e do not remove them based on their presence. We remove them based on their behaviour,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f their behaviour warrants it, we will remove them. In rare circumstances to we relocate, though.B次元官网网址�

To learn where cougar and bear sighting locations have been recorded in and around Nanaimo and to find out how to respond to predators when they are encountered, visit .

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