Cougar sightings in residential areas often stir fear for the safety of humans and pets, but in this case in Sidney, residents were just as concerned for the big cat itself.
On Thursday, May 22 a juvenile female cougar was spotted at a cul-de-sac in Grover Crescent by Roberts Bay and was safely captured and relocated.
Jodie Siverns first spotted the cub from her kitchen window at 4:45 p.m.
"I was just standing in my kitchen eating a snack and I looked out on my driveway and saw a huge cat walking by," she said.
Immediately concerned for her neighbours, Siverns alerted the surrounding area in case anyone was sitting in their back garden or about to leave to go for a walk.
"I grabbed my pets and quickly headed inside," she said. "I was just in shock because a woman mentioned to me earlier in the day, while I was walking home, that there was a cougar in the area and that it had been spotted last night or the night before, so I wasn't that concerned."
There was, in fact, a cougar sighting earlier that day at Summerset Place. A resident shared video footage from their Ring camera on social media, showing a cat walking through their yard at around 5 a.m.
Siverns saw her neighbour's son walking up the street and yelled at him to get inside.
The boy's father, Rob Clark, said his son had just returned home from delivering the Peninsula News Review paper when he was alerted to the threat.
"He had just walked in the door and immediately after, a cougar walked behind,” Clark said.
Siverns' quick warning couldn’t have come at a better time.
“My son was going out to the backyard to do his karate practice,” Clark said.
After Clark got a call from his son, he called the non-emergency number of the police and made it home before they arrived.
“You could see the cougar sleeping beside a tree house in our backyard quite contentedly,” he said.
The capture and safe transport
Clark’s backyard of mature trees, dense undergrowth and uneven ground provided excellent camouflage for the cougar, initially hindering Sidney/North Saanich RCMP officers' ability to locate the animal.
According to Clark, the cougar jumped over an 8-foot fence and disappeared into the neighbourhood before later returning to his yard.
They watched the cub until the conservation officer showed up around 8 p.m. The cub was tranquilized and, with the help of the RCMP, carried into a cage to be transported to Shawnigan Lake for release.
Clark expressed his gratitude towards the Sidney/North Saanich RCMP and the conservation officer who travelled all the way from Duncan.
The father of two lauded the deliberate and thorough effort in capturing and handling the juvenile cat, emphasizing the commitment shown to ensuring the animal's survival.
The operation reportedly took at least three hours.
Cougar up close
Clark believes the cougar may have frequented their property for the past two weeks.
"I discovered three little spots in our property, clearly bedded down for a while and flattened. This young female cougar could’ve been part of a known litter from North Saanich that had matured and spread out and ended up around our neighbourhood," he said.
Despite his concerns for the safety of children, pets and neighbours, Clark admitted to feeling a sense of awe at seeing the cougar up close.
"It was exciting, to say the least, and quite awesome to see that beautiful young female cougar. I'm just so glad she survived," he said.
Siverns echoed Clark's sentiments, acknowledging the impressiveness of seeing a cougar in person, particularly the swiftness and agility of her movement. However, she stressed the importance of vigilance, urging residents to remain aware of their surroundings.
"You have to be fully aware, especially if you're walking your pets – always keep one earbud out and if you hear about sightings in your area, take it very seriously," she cautioned.
Cougar sightings tend to increase with warmer weather, especially near trails, parks and wooded neighbourhoods, where wildlife activity intensifies.
BC Conservation Officer Service advises residents to be aware of their surroundings; keep a close watch on children and pets, especially during dawn and dusk; avoid hiking or jogging alone; make noise while hiking or walking in wooded areas; do not approach a cougar – maintain a safe distance and back away slowly; never run from a cougar; and fight back if a cougar attacks.
The conservation service advises reporting cougar sightings that pose a safety concern by calling 1-877-952-7277.
These sightings underscore the importance of coexisting safely with wildlife and remaining vigilant in areas where encounters are more likely.
