A cougar that lunged towards a man and a leashed dog in the 600-block of Falcon Drive in Port Moody last Saturday is a reminder to keep pets safe, a BC Conservation Officer says.
Sgt. Todd Hunter said the man was walking his dog when he was confronted by the cougar but the big cat quickly left and the area was deemed safe by conservation officers who visited the scene.
“The cougar lunged at them — it probably realized something was wrong by the movement of the person and the dog and it turned and took off,” Hunter told The Tri-City News.
A search of the area didn’t turn up any animal carcasses or prey that would have kept the animal in the area, however, Hunter said conservation officers are still monitoring calls of cougar sightings, which have been reported in Port Moody and Coquitlam.
However, officers will only respond to reports of aggressive and threatening behavior, Hunter said.
“We don’t believe there is any attention or focus to people. It’s likely it’s’ preying on smaller animals,” Hunter said, pointing out that it’s important that pets not be let out in the yard unattended, especially if they live near a greenbelt.
“It’s great, we live in areas where we can interact, but we need to be aware of ways to avoid a confrontation.
This is the time of year when cougar sightings are more common, especially if snow in the mountains is making it difficult for cougars to find prey. They travel down forested ravines and creeks in search of small animals, such as raccoons or deer, Hunter said, and occasionally venture into populated areas in search of food.
Cougars will likely head back up the mountains in the spring, once the snow begins to melt.
Still, it’s important for people to ensure they have nothing in their yard to attract animals — from food waste to bird seed because anything that attracts rats will also bring larger animals into your neighborhood.
“The bottom line is people must manage their attractants or any kind of food food waste, or bird feed to the lowest form so it’s not accessible to vermin or everything will come by your property.”
Meanwhile, cougars have been spotted in both Coquitlam and Port Moody, prompting both cities to send out cautions on Twitter.
In PoMo, Heritage Mountain secondary and Eagle Mountain middle schools report cougar sightings near Pleasantside and in Coquitlam, cougars have been spotted in the Hoy Creek trail area.
Walkers are being cautioned to avoid trails after dark and report sightings to Conservation Officers at 1-877-952-7277.
Heritage Mountain Secondary & Eagle Mountain Middle schools report cougar sightings near Pleasantside. Report sightings to BC’s Conservation Officer: 1-877-952-7277 or PMPD non-emergency: 604.461.3456. More info on Cougars here: https://t.co/nRtGTaopbR pic.twitter.com/JumtOTRGsj
— City of Port Moody (@CityofPoMo) February 28, 2019
Cougar Warning! There have been several cougar sightings over the past week in the Hoy Creek Trail area. Use caution, avoid the trail after dusk, keep dogs on a leash. Report sightings to Conservation Officers at 1-877-952-7277. Be cougar smart: https://t.co/Dwt2dvre7v #coquitlam pic.twitter.com/qoV83uDv5L
— City of Coquitlam (@cityofcoquitlam) February 28, 2019
In Port Moody, cougar sightings can also be reported to the Port Moody Police Department non-emergency number at 604-461-3456.
BC's Conservation Officer Service advises people not to panic if they see a cougar, and not panic.
When a person sees a cougar, they should:
• make themselves look as large as possible;
• pick up their pet or child and keep them facing the animal;
• slowly back away while maintaining eye contact;
• and make as much noise as possible.
