Police kill cougar previously spotted roaming near downtown Victoria

Victoria police say they had to kill a cougar Tuesday after the animal was spotted near a school and residences.

VicPD said in a statement that they made the "difficult decision" to kill the animal due to its close proximity to a school and preschool, and the amount of people and residences in the area — as well as how long it would have taken B.C. Conservation Officers to arrive.

The big cat was first spotted around 5 a.m. in the Burnside neighbourhood. It was killed around 4 p.m. at the 300 block of Waterfront Crescent, in the Selkirk Waterfront area.

Police say instances of them killing an animal are "extremely rare" and Tuesday's cougar killing only happened due to the high public safety risk.

"We understand that people may feel strongly about this animal and its well-being, and we can assure you that this decision was not made lightly; this was a difficult decision for the officers involved," the VicPD statement read.

Cougars have been spotted numerous times in or around Victoria in recent years, including separate cats prowling the James Bay neighbourhood near the B.C. Legislature in 2015 and again in 2017.

Residents warned of cougar Tuesday morning

Many Victoria residents were warned of the cougar Tuesday morning and told to shelter in place after it was spotted just north of the downtown core.

Resident Paul Ross woke to the sound of a police officer's voice booming through his open window on a loudspeaker a couple of hours before dawn.

"It was definitely saying there was a cougar in the area," said Ross. "It was kind of a funny way to wake up this morning."

Const. Terri Healy with the Victoria Police Department told CBC News officers were called about a sighting in the Burnside neighbourhood around 5 a.m. PT, specifically around Jutland Road and Dunedin Street.

Upon responding, officers reported seeing what appeared to be a full-grown cougar. Healy said police then took to the streets and social media to caution residents.

"There was quite a few people out in the area at the time," said Healy.

She said officers were concerned for pedestrians and dog-walkers, as well as children and staff who would later be arriving at a Montessori school in the area.

Secure garbage, pets

Cougars, the largest wild cat in the country, are widely distributed across British Columbia. They can sprint up to 70 km/h, travel more than 50 kilometres daily, and grow up to three metres long.

According to Sierra Club B.C., males can weigh up to 140 pounds and females up to 100 pounds.

Andrea Wallace, wild animal welfare manager for the B.C. SPCA, said cougars are "generally pretty secretive" and while they occasionally pass through urban settings, they are not often seen doing so.

"It's a rare event, in my opinion. It's not something that happens every day," said Wallace. "They're probably just passing through. It's unlikely that they want to stick around for too long and they're just trying to get from A to B."

She reminded residents to secure attractants in their yards such as garbage and compost and to feed pets indoors. Wallace said dog owners should also turn outdoor lights on, look around and make noise before letting their pets outside.

"What we really want to see is this cougar just continuing to move through," Wallace said.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service advises that if you encounter a cougar, never turn your back and never run. Pick up children, make yourself look as large as possible and keep the animal in front of you at all times.

It also advises arming yourself with anything that can be used as a weapon, including sticks, rocks and bear spray, and if the cougar shows interest in you, act aggressively by baring your teeth, maintaining eye contact and making noise. The idea is to convince the cougar that you are a threat. 

Sightings can be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277.