A cougar was killed by conservation officers in North Courtenay last Thursday, prompting a wave of response on The Goat Facebook page. Some of you thought the killing was unnecessary, wondering why relocation wasn’t an option.
Well, we checked in with Conservation Officer Steve Petrovic. He says they were called out to the area after the cougar was spotted pacing back and forth in the backyard of a family with young children.
He says they found out a neighbor had seen the cougar in the area around 6 am that same day, meaning it had been in the area for a while.
As for relocation, Petrovic says they reserve that for animals who are not desensitized to humans, or often spotted in residential areas. However, he adds relocation can come with some problems as well.
Finally, Petrovic says if you see a cougar to call the Conservation Office as soon as possible, because if the office can intervene early, they may not have to kill it.
The number for the office is 1-877-952-7277.
