Cougar caught on camera in Victoria area, sort of

A furtive snapshot of a golden animal lying on its side is the latest image from a rash of cougar sightings in the Victoria suburb of Oak Bay.

The sightings have residents of the upscale community hoping the cat is in hand before Halloween trick or treaters head out. It's the third sighting in October, including the cougar tranquilized after being sighted on the near the Victoria legislature.

Oak Bay Police were called Friday around 4 p.m. about a large, golden cat lolling in somebody's yard. Officers checked out the scene, near Monterey and Central Avenues, and turned up an image this time.

They confirmed with local conservation officers that the animal was in fact a cougar.

On Thanksgiving weekend, a large cat was also spotted, and was described to Oak Bay Police as "chunky, but not a deer."

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Someone also reported seeing the feline near Beach Drive in Victoria on the holiday weekend.

Before that, a wild cat was spotted Oct. 9 by several people and reported near Camosun College's campus parking lot.

"The animal in question appeared healthy and had no obvious injuries," Sgt. Steve Eassie of Saanich Police said in a press release. "It did not show any signs of aggression or predatory behaviour... and was likely wandering from green space to green space in search of food."

Just days before that on Oct.5 a big cat was caught and tranquilized near the Victoria legislature, then relocated.