Two Squamish residents encountered a pair of cougars on a trail near Valleycliffe on the weekend, prompting the head of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service's Sea to Sky Corridor contingent to urge recreationalists to take care when out on Squamish's trails.
The encounter occurred on Saturday (Feb. 12), when two people were jogging along a path in the Crumpit Woods area, Sgt. Chris Doyle of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said on Tuesday (Feb. 15).
It was raining when the encounter occurred, Doyle said.
"The two runners were jogging along a trail and had a close encounter with two cougars," he said. "They both (the runners and cougars) sort of startled each other and they both kind of went off in their own directions."
Doyle said it's not unusual for cougars to be out and about in the woods, even in the winter. To prevent an encounter, those who are running, walking or biking should make noise, he said.
"If you do see one, don't turn your back and run. Face the cougar and back away slowly, maybe pick up a stick and make yourself look big, but turning and running is probably the worst thing you can do," Doyle said.
Cougar attacks are rare, but they do happen. Since 1970, there have been 16 fatal cougar attacks in North America, according to Wikipedia. The last fatal attack in Canada occurred in 2001 when a woman cross-country skiing alone on a trail near Banff, Alta., was killed.
On June 16, 2009, a young cougar attacked a three-year-old girl on a trail in Brackendale's Fisherman's Park. The girl's mother, however, was nearby and managed to wedge herself between the girl and the animal, causing the cougar to flee. The girl suffered cuts and bruises in the encounter. Conservation officers tracked the animal to a spot near Depot Road, where it was shot and killed.
