Margaret Holm
Seeing a cougar is definitely on my bucket list and since British Columbia has the largest population of the big cats anywhere in North America, my chances are good. But like most people, I hope my sighting is from a safe distance.
Considering that the province’s cougar population is estimated to be between four and six thousand animals, cougar attacks are rare and there have been only a handful of fatalities in the past two hundred years. In recent years with high deer and pet populations in rural and urban areas, cougar sightings have increased. The BC Conservation Officer hotline receives cougar sightings year round but calls peak in June and remain high all summer. Since young cougars leave their mothers in late spring to summer and must learn to hunt and find their own territories, the transients are likely more visible than experienced older cats.
Average adult home ranges of this big feline are very large, ranging from 50 to 150 square kilometers in one BC study. Cougars live alone except when females are raising young so their population density is very low and encounters with humans are infrequent. Cougars are elusive, skilled hunters and will generally sense human presence long before they can be seen. These muscular, lanky predators hunt a wide variety of mammal prey from porcupine to elk but deer are their main diet.
Cougars typically hunt at night and will sit in ambush before stalking their prey. They travel an average of ten kilometers a night when hunting which means they have a good idea of the opportunities within their home range.
British Columbians can help maintain a healthy cougar population and avoid encounters by making their properties less attractive to wildlife. Farms, orchards, vineyards and livestock operations are often located near natural areas so it is important to understand how to keep yourself and others safe.
Dogs are a good first warning of wildlife but can also be prey so it is a good idea to keep pets indoors or in kennels at night. Bring farm animals into enclosed sheds at night, especially during calving or lambing seasons. Lastly don’t leave out pet or livestock food that might attract wildlife or rodents that in turn can attract cougars.
Be alert to signs of cougar activity on your property such as tracks, scat containing hair, damp scent piles, and scratches in trees. I’ve found piles of deer hair and drag marks in the snow a few meters from my house which is on the outskirts of Penticton. Cougar kills are often cached by being covered in dirt or debris. The cougar will return to the cache to feed for days or weeks so it is important to alert Conservation Officers if you think you have found a cougar’s cache near human habitation.
Never work in an area where recent cougar sightings or food caches have been reported. Don’t work with ear phones or anything else that deadens sounds when you are by yourself. If cougars have been seen in the area and you need to work outside alone, consider carrying pepper spray and audible scare devices (eg. air horns) and know how to use them. If you are a farm manager, have a wildlife safety plan for any type of wildlife encounter and train seasonal employees how to watch for wildlife and alert the crew and manager about any concerns.
It is important to know what to do in the case of an encounter. A cougars is a stalker and often approaches from behind. Never turn your back to a cougar or run. Stay calm, talk in a strong voice that helps identify you as a human. Never approach a cougar. They generally avoid conflict but are unpredictable. Make sure the cougar has an easy escape route. A cornered cougar is more likely to be aggressive. Pick up children since a running child may trigger an attack. If the cougar is aggressive act as large, loud and intimidating as possible, use anything close at hand to act intimidating like tools, farm implements, sticks and rocks. If the cougar attacks, fight back!
“Living with Wildlife in BC” are wildlife management guides for agriculture that discuss management options, worker safety, and animal deterrents for eight species of concern. The guides are available for downloading and distribution at www.osca.org. The Living with Wildlife in BC project received financial assistance from the Agriculture Environment Initiative the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture through the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. The South Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Program and the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen Bear Smart also provided project funding. For information on wildlife management questions contact Zoe Kirk, zkirk@rdos.bc.ca or Margaret Holm outreach@osca.org.