UVic has issued a warning after a cougar was seen in the vicinity yesterday.
According to the university, the cougar was seen in Mystic Vale at around 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 4th.
“This is the time of year when occasional cougar sightings are reported on the UVic campus,” read the warning in their notice.
“While cougars are generally shy and elusive animals and rarely attack humans, a hungry cougar may come into contact with people during its search for food, usually in the hours between dusk and dawn when cougars are most active.”
With the warmer weather now approaching, cougar sightings along trails, parks and wooded neighbourhoods will become more frequent as the subspecies of mountain lion forages for food while raising their young.
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.
While outdoors:
- Hike in groups and make enough noise to avoid surprising a cat
- Always keep children close to you
- For hikes and local adventures, be sure to carry bear spray with you
- Be mindful of fresh tracks
- If you stumble upon kittens, leave the area immediately as the female will be close and defend her young
- Roaming pets are easy prey for cougars, keep them leashed or behind a fence.
- To reduce odours, do not leave open food or food scraps on you
- Be extra vigilant while walking in strong wind and rain
Experiencing encounters:
- 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.
Anyone who spots a cougar on campus is asked to call campus security at 250-721-7599.
