Saanich Police issued a public warning after several recent cougar sightings were reported in the Gordon Head/Mount Tolmie area.
One cougar came face-to-face with an officer about 2 a.m. Wednesday when police were on an unrelated call at the Gordon Head North Park trail.
According to police, over the past few days, multiple reports have emerged of cougar encounters in the vicinity of Mount Tolmie Park.
On both Monday, August 28th, and Wednesday, August 30th, local residents spotted a cougar wandering within the park.
Officers responded to the area, however, the elusive cougar managed to evade their search.
In the interest of safety, officers did caution individuals walking their dogs about the reported sightings. Notably, these incidents occurred around 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively.
A particularly intriguing encounter transpired in the early hours of Wednesday, August 30th.
Responding to an unrelated incident on the Gordon Head North Park trail, an officer found themselves in a face-to-face encounter with a cougar. Without incident, the cougar eventually diverted its course, retreating along the trail leading toward the nearby water.
Police said the BC Conservation Officer Service is aware of the sightings and is monitoring cougar activity.
It is unclear whether more than one cougar is involved but police said no aggression was seen in any of the incidents.
People are advised to take precautions like leashing pets and travelling in groups.
While sightings are rare, for those that happen to cross pass with this feared furry cat here are 13 tips to handle a close encounter:
- Always remain calm
- Never run!
- Face the cougar and back away slowly. Sudden movement or flight may trigger an instinctive attack
- Yell, speak loudly and firmly and throw rocks. Convince the animal that you are a threat, not easy prey
- If the cougar fights back. Many people have survived cougar attacks by fighting back with anything they had, including rocks, sticks, fists, etc.
Any other cougar sightings can be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277 or Saanich police at 250-475-4321.
