Cougar 'lunged' at man walking his leashed dog in B.C. park, conservation officers warn
A warning was issued by B.C. conservation officers after a cougar reportedly lunged at a man while he was walking his dog in a Kelowna park over the weekend.
The B.C. Conservation Officers Service posted details about the incident on social media Monday night, saying the man was walking in Mission Creek Regional Park at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
His large-breed dog was leashed and he noticed a cougar following him.
"The cougar then lunged and attempted to attack the dog but was scared off," BCCOS said, adding that nobody was injured.
Officers said they spoke with regional parks staff about the incident and placed warning signs in the park.
"While roaming pets are prey for cougars, aggressive behaviour towards a leashed dog is uncommon and concerning," BCCOS said.
Last year, conservation officers responded to nearly 2,300 calls about cougars across the province. In the Lower Mainland, two cougars were linked to a string of attacks on dogs. One, a young German shepherd puppy, was carried away by a cougar near Anmore last March.
Conservation officers monitored the area for weeks and said they witnessed an escalating pattern of concerning behaviour. Two cougars believed to be involved in the attacks were eventually killed by officers.
Conservation officers say anyone who encounters a cougar should stay calm, keep the animal in view and pick up any children. Officers then recommend backing away slowly, ensuring the animal has a clear way to escape. s
But if a cougar is following you, BCCOS says to maintain eye contact with the cougar, show your teeth, make loud noises and arm yourself with rocks or sticks as weapons.
Conservation officers remind anyone who spots a cougar to report the sighting by calling the province's Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Tornadoes collapse buildings and level homes in Nebraska and Iowa
Tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging hundreds of homes, many around Omaha, Neb.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
It's 30 years since apartheid ended. South Africa's celebrations are set against growing discontent
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.