In downtown Comox, cougars window shop, too.
On Monday, June 20th at around 10 p.m., Comox’s Miranda Fowler was driving home from work when she spotted something crossing the road.
“At first, I thought it was a dog. And then, as I got closer, I realized it was slinking and not walking like a normal dog,” Fowler told Victoria Buzz.
That’s when she realized it was a cougar, and according to Fowler, it appeared as though it was “window shopping” along Comox Avenue.
“It paced back and forth a little bit and actually went on its back legs outside a nail salon,” she recalled. “There’s a tin foil heart on the door, and I think that may have caught its eye, and there’s a cage of birds in the window.”
As Fowler drove past, pulled out her camera and started recording the encounter, the cougar darted through a bank parking lot.
According to the BC SPCA, while cougars are generally very secretive and rarely seen, they may occasionally pass through urban settings.
Although skilled predators, the SPCA notes that cougar attacks are rare but reminds people to stay calm if spotting one, among other safety tips.
“I’ve never seen a cougar in my life. I’m pretty sure I’ve been stalked by one on a hike, but I’ve never seen one,” added Fowler.
“Especially not that close.”
