BC Conservation Officers were able to trap and relocate a male cougar from near the Nanaimo hospital  on Mar. 3, 2022 (BCOS)

By Jordan Davidson

big cat

Cougar sighting on popular Ladysmith trail prompts warnings

Aug 4, 2022 | 12:04 PM

LADYSMITH — A recent cougar sighting on a well-used trail network is triggering warnings about encounters with the potentially aggressive animal.

A cat was spotted on the Holland Creek Trail, just south of downtown Ladysmith, on Tuesday, Aug. 2 and while not uncommon for the area, the sighting is still concerning given the popularity of the area for hikers.

Conservation officer Stuart Bates said whenever you’re in a forested area, it’s important to remain vigilant

“Don’t be fearful, be vigilant of the fact that cougars and bears can be there. Particularly with cougars, don’t be by yourself, don’t have both earbuds in, and if you have small pets or any dogs at all, keep them on a leash.”

Bates said the warmer weather is making it harder for them to hunt in a stealthy manner, as dry, crunchy leaves alert prey of their position, so they’re forced to search for food in new areas.

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Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare.

“They do occur more on Vancouver Island than other places because we simply have so many more cougars. Vancouver Island has one of the highest population densities of cougars anywhere in the world, but we still average less than one attack per year.”

Best advice for when dealing with a cougar is to keep calm, make yourself as big as possible, be loud, and back away slowly. Bates recommends sliding your feet in reverse to avoid tripping on a root and falling.

It’s also important to remember the ‘eye-contact’ rule.

“With a cougar, don’t ever take your eyes off their eyes, they are waiting for you to turn around. With a bear, don’t stare them in the eyes, it’s a challenge to them. Look at their feet or their butt so you know where they are as you back away slowly.”

Safety equipment like air horns or bear spray are important tools to have when hiking in wooded areas.

Unfortunately, relocating the highly territorial cougar isn’t always possible, like in the case of a male cougar who was found near the Nanaimo hospital in March.

“We had no history on that cougar doing anything at all. We think it was actually a juvenile male because there is a mother cougar in Linley Valley and we think she chased him out and he couldn’t figure out how to get out of town.”

An ear tag was placed on the animal, and so far it has yet to make another appearance in town.

Once Conservation Officers are called for a problematic cougar, it’s usually past the point of being able to relocate it safely.

Reports of cougars or any other wildlife in populated areas can be made to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277.

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