Cellphone video of a cougar slowly creeping up on a Metro Vancouver home has surfaced online, but authorities say it's not necessarily cause for alarm.
The video, which was taken on Monday, shows a juvenile cougar emerge from a wooded area in Coquitlam and approach a glass door.
The wildcat peers into the home, located near Johnson Street and David Avenue, and briefly shows its teeth before turning away.
Though the close encounter might be unnerving to some, the BC Conservation Officer Service said the behaviour isn't out of the ordinary for cougars.
"We do not see this as alarming but take it into account if there is a pattern," Sgt. Todd Hunter told CTV News in an email.
"It is not rare to have cougars approach windows and movement inside. Cougars are very curious and rely on sight to hunt for prey."
There haven't been any reports of cougars attacking house pets in the area, Hunter added.
Conservation officers are still monitoring cougar incidents in Coquitlam, however, and have already set up a trap in the neighbourhood of the home. No animals were caught and the trap has since been removed.
Hunter said it’s possible there is a family of cougars preying on small game using green belt corridors in the city.
As a general rule, people who live on green belts are urged not to let their pet dogs or cats wander outside.
For more cougar safety tips, visit the BC Conservation Officers Service website.
