Cougar spotted twice on Daniel Way
At least two cougar sightings on Gabriola have been reported to Stuart Bates, Conservation Officer in Nanaimo.
Stuart said they are considered ‘unconfirmed’ as there is not a photo or footprint available but, “these sound pretty good. People seeing it cross the road giving a good description.”
One of the sightings was made at the end of January, the other at the start of February. Both sightings were in the area of Daniel Way. As to whether the animal poses a risk to the public Stuart said, “We’re not overly concerned.We always like to hear sightings. It lets us keep track of the animal’s behaviour.
“Gabriola has a lot of deer and raccoons and we’ve had no reports of predation or attempted predation on livestock or pets.” He added most cougars that do attack humans are unhealthy. “Any cougar on that island is probably pretty healthy as it had to swim there.”
For precautionary measures, Stuart said he would give the same advice he gives to everyone who lives in rural areas of Vancouver Island. “Be vigilant, don’t be fearful. Livestock should always be kept indoors at night. Cougars almost always hunt at night. Small pets like dogs or cats are almost always preyed upon as opportunistic prey, mistaken as raccoons. But pets that size can also be taken by eagles and owls so it’s good to always be vigilant with your pets.”
If anyone does encounter a cougar and is threatened by it, Stuart said it is important to stand one’s ground.
“Make eye contact, stare it down and make yourself as big as possible. If you have a jacket on, open it up and make yourself bigger.
“If you have a small child with you, pick the child up. This does two things: it protects the child and it makes you bigger.”
He explained cougars are always assessing the risk to themselves. The cougar always has to stay healthy as the smallest injury can change its ability to hunt.
“If they sprain their wrist, they don’t hunt,” said Stuart. “You want them to think if they attack it’s going to cost them so much they won’t bother.”
“Gabriola is covered in deer. On average a cougar will eat a deer a week, so he’s living high on the hog.”
Stuart said the cougar “might not leave and may have already left. Cougars do have very large territories that they defend from other cougars. Gabriola could just be a portion of a cougar’s territory. The cougar may simply have been travelling through, hunting or patrolling its territory and may leave or may have left already for the same reason.”