A cougar sighting was reported in British Columbia's Victoria West neighborhood.

What's happening?

According to Chek News, the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service confirmed a cougar sighting on Jan. 3. 

The cougar was seen around 9 p.m. along the Songhees Walkway, a scenic shoreline path that connects West Bay Marina to Downtown Victoria. 

There was only one reported sighting, and the cougar did not behave aggressively. However, officials still want people to remain cautious for the safety of both people and the cougars. 

COS officials offer the following advice to anyone who encounters a cougar, per Chek News: "Stay calm and keep the cougar in view, pick up children immediately. Children frighten easily, and the noise and movements they make could provoke an attack. Back away slowly, ensuring that the animal has a clear avenue of escape."

Why was this cougar so close to residential neighborhoods?

Cougars usually only roam this close to humans out of necessity. The animal could be searching for food, or it may have been pushed out of its habitat due to human expansion. 

The Victoria West neighborhood is rapidly expanding. A new 77-home project in the area just received funding from the federal government, per Canada Newswire via Yahoo! Finance. 

Other major developments in the area include a collection of buildings called Roundhouse at Bayview Place and a new rental community called Harris Green Village. Accessible and affordable housing for people is vital, but cougars might be paying the price. 

In 2024, The Westshore posted an article from the Local Journalism Initiative about an encounter between a cougar and a young studentin the Vic West area and discussed how human development encroaches on cougar habitats. 

Sophia Cuthbert, manager of fish and wildlife programs at the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, told The Westshore: "Bear Mountain is a good example of this, where urban development has taken place over important intact wildlife habitat. These developments, including in Sooke, will often cross over existing active wildlife corridors."

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Washington state is facing similar cougar problems. In October, two schools were put on lockdown due to a cougar sighting. Because of increased sightings and livestock attacks, cougars in the state are also being euthanized in alarming numbers, threatening this already-vulnerable population. 

How can cougar-human encounters be mitigated?

To prevent dangerous situations between cougars and humans, cougar habitats must be protected. Setting up conservation areas and protected habitats ensures cougars have space to roam and hunt without encountering humans.

You can protect people and cougars by advocating for conservation efforts and calling for policies that protect these big cats and their habitats. And if you ever see a cougar, keep a safe distance and report it immediately.

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