A cougar was caught on camera in the early hours of Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the Belmont Park area of Colwood.
“This guy set off the camera last night and headed down into the neighbourhood,” said local resident Toni Turner in a social media post. “Hopefully, nobody encountered him. I’ve never seen one in this part of Belmont Park.”
The Colwood sighting follows only days after Saanich residents were told to be wary of wildlife after three cougar reports came in over Sept. 28 and 29, two near the University of Victoria.
The sightings act as a timely reminder for locals to be more aware of their wild surroundings and to make efforts to lower the risk of human-wildlife conflicts.
To help reduce these encounters and to promote coexistence, the City of Colwood announced in September it was partnering with Wild Wise as part of a new education initiative for 2024.
In recent weeks, Wild Wise has encouraged the community to not see every cougar sighting as cause for concern. Instead, they advise locals to take steps such as securing all attractants such as garbage, to discourage animals from visiting residential areas.
“Best practices with cougars include keeping pets on leash, bringing free roaming cats indoors and properly securing livestock – especially during dusk and dawn,” explains WildWise.
“It’s important to understand that while cougars are opportunistic hunters and can be active during anytime of day or night, they will often make great efforts to avoid people,” the Sooke-based organization adds.
In the event of a cougar encounter, the Conservation Office Service advises to stay calm, keep the cougar in view, pick up children immediately and back away slowly.
"Make yourself look as large as possible and keep the cougar in front of you at all times. Never run or turn your back on a cougar; sudden movement may provoke an attack," they say.
If a cougar shows interest, they advise to respond aggressively, maintain eye contact with the cougar, show your teeth and make loud noise. If a cougar attacks, fight back.
To report cougars in conflict, sightings in urban areas, or a cougar showing unusual or aggressive behaviour, call the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277.
