Cougar killed on Vancouver Island
Posted September 5, 2011 12:20 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VICTORIA (NEWS1130) – A cougar that was spotted at Goldstream Provincial Park on Vancouver Island three days ago has been shot and killed. The cougar was getting too close to campsites.
After a few complaints, conservation officers staked out the area over the weekend and shot and killed it Monday morning.
Conservation officer Peter Pauwels says there was no point tranquilizing it. “It was unafraid of people, they weren’t able to scare it off. When we saw it Sunday night, it was completely unafraid of us. It was quite young as well so it wasn’t what we would consider be a good candidate for a successful relocation.”
He adds there’s been a spike in the number of sightings this year. “Yes, that’s an area where we do get sightings every year, but we’re getting a lot more sightings this year than last year in places all over Greater Victoria.”
Last month an 18-month-old child was attacked by a cougar near Ucluelet. He’s recovering at BC Children’s Hospital.
