Cougar killed after approaching people and roaming into southeast Calgary yard
'They can definitely kill people,' says Fish and Wildlife officer, explaining why big cat wasn't tranquillized
Officers have killed a cougar that was seen roaming around the Willow Park area in southeast Calgary Wednesday morning.
The cougar was first spotted in the Bonaventure area around 9:25 a.m. It approached two police officers rapidly and got within about 20 feet of them.
After multiple sightings near the Willow Park Golf and Country Club, police cleared golfers from the course.
The cat then followed another person to a nearby strip mall store, where it charged and struck the glass after the person went inside.
Shortly after 11 a.m., the animal was spotted in a backyard in the neighbourhood, and Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers destroyed it.
The cougar was a young male, approximately 90 to 100 pounds.
The cougar's death was not received well online, with many asking why it wasn't tranquillized.
We all know the animal could have injured someone but, can't you just tranquilize it? We are in their territory, not the other way around.
—@ForeverWeirdaBut Ron Wiebe with Alberta Fish and Wildlife says tranquillizing an animal in an urban centre is more dangerous. The drugs take a while to kick in, and they can actually cause an animal to become immediately more aggressive with the added adrenaline bump.
"In most cases, we will try to do that, but in this case it wasn't a viable option," he said.
Wiebe says the actions of the cougar were concerning.
"We consider that very habituated behaviour and also potentially aggressive, which brings us to a heightened level of concern for the public in the area," he said.
The cats have the potential to be a risk to the public, he added.
"Cougars are top-of-the-line carnivores and they can definitely be predatory and they can definitely kill people."
The online response has been similar to comments posted after a cougar was shot at the South Health Campus in 2014.
In that case, a review found Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers were justified in their actions.
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