Qualicum Beach resident Andy Phillips had never seen a cougar before.
When he did, it scared the living daylights out of him.
Phillips, an artist, had just finished painting at his studio when he decided to head to his garden for some fresh air before going to bed at around 2 a.m. on Aug. 17.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 when he heard noises. He wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure what it was.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e only lived in Qualicum Beach for two years and the rest of my life I lived in England,B次元官网网址� said Phillips, who lives on Fern Road East near the Qualicum Beach Airport.
B次元官网网址淢y ears heard what I thought were two cats fighting. It was annoying. They were so annoying that I thought IB次元官网网址檇 scare them away so they wonB次元官网网址檛 keep me awake.B次元官网网址�
Phillips, who has a leg disability, slowly and quietly threaded across his garden to where he believed the cats were. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when he got the shock of his life.
He found himself staring at a huge cougar about 12 feet away.
B次元官网网址淚t was too close for me,B次元官网网址� said Phillips. B次元官网网址淚t was a cougar right there. I have never seen a cougar before. My instinct was just to flee but then I remembered, somebody told me a long time ago, what to do if you meet a cougar. So I made myself look big and shouted as loud as I could. I expected it to run away but it did not. It jumped into a tree directly above my head.B次元官网网址�
What was already a scary situation got worse.
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B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 see the cougar and the tree is very, very close to me,B次元官网网址� said Phillips. B次元官网网址淚t started to growl at me quite loudly. At this point I was terrified because I couldnB次元官网网址檛 see it. It had the high ground and it sounded really pissed off. I started to walk away. I remembered not to turn my back. I kept facing it and kept myself big. And very slowly with my disabled leg I walked backwards while shouting as loud as I could at this cougar.B次元官网网址�
Phillips was able to make it back safely to his studio. He called 911 and was directed to the BC Conservation office. He was told that the cougarB次元官网网址檚 behaviour was unusual as it did not run away when he startled it.
B次元官网网址淭he noise it was making I was told by conservation officers they think it just made a kill,B次元官网网址� said Phillips. B次元官网网址淚t was being very protective and very defensive of its kill. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why it was standing its ground.B次元官网网址�
Being in an area where there is an abundance of rabbits, deers and other wildlife, Phillips said, they believe the cougar has been frequenting the area.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e found quite a lot of rabbit remains in our garden and it appears itB次元官网网址檚 been using our garden to hunt rabbits,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎s long as there is wildlife, conservation officers told me the cougar will focus on them. But if theyB次元官网网址檙e not available they are also likely to target livestock, pets and even children. So I was told itB次元官网网址檚 best to keep children and pets inside the house. I have a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old. So thatB次元官网网址檚 what I am doing.B次元官网网址�
Residents in the area are being advised to be on the alert and to keep their pets safe.
There has been an increasing amount of cougar sightings in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area lately. Earlier this month, a cougar that killed a small dog in the Dunsmuir area had to be euthanized by conservation officers. ThereB次元官网网址檚 also a report of a cougar that killed a miniature pony in its pen in the Corcan Meadowood area.
According to Stuart Bates, conservation officer for the Central Island Zone (Chemainus to Deep Bay), COs have received 106 calls since April 1. Last year, at the same time period, they had about 90 and in 2018, they had 126 calls. Vancouver Island, he pointed out, has the highest population density of cougars in the world.
People are advised to call the provincial Report All Poachers and Polluters line at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) to report any cougar sightings.
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