Manitoba

Cougar and cub sighting at Victoria Beach

Cougar sightings are rare in Manitoba, but they are becoming a lot more common around Victoria Beach.
One of the few images captured of a cougar in Manitoba was this one near Lac du Bonnet in 2008. (Russ Friesen)

There are posters up at the general store and post office in Victoria Beach asking residents to be extra cautious.

Three sightings of a cougar and a cub were reported over the holidays.

Police Chief Stewart MacPherson said one of the sightings was by a wildlife biologist. 

"We knew that we had a cougar. Now that we know there is a cougar with a cub there is a mating pair. And that just makes us very cautious."

MacPherson says bears in the area are common, but cougars are very elusive.

He suspects the cougar may be going between the R-M of Victoria Beach and Elk Island.
Linda Dyck snapped this photo of a cougar as it crossed her property near Plum Coulee, Man., on May 11, 2008. ((Submitted by Linda Dyck))

" And on route there are a number of fishing huts. But it just makes it a little more, with the cub, the female is going to be very protective."

MacPherson says there are a lot of deer and wolves in the R-M and the wildlife population is high.

He says natural resources officers are aware of the cougar but they aren't tracking it.

MacPherson advises residents with small pets to keep them inside.