West Shore RCMP issue warning after cougar spotted in Colwood

(AP Photo/Teton Cougar Project-Panthera, Neil Wight)

Mounties are warning residents to be aware after a reported cougar sighting in Colwood.

The animal was spotted near the 490 block of Regency Place, according to West Shore RCMP.

“Please be mindful if you’re in the area given the recent sighting,” police wrote on social media.

West Shore RCMP noted that the BC Conservation Officer Service is aware of the animal’s presence.

If you encounter a cougar, BCCOS says to stay calm, keep the animal in view and pick up any children immediately. Then you should back away slowly, making sure the cougar has a clear escape route.

Conservation officers say to make yourself look as large as possible, and never run or turn your back on a cougar, as sudden movement could provoke an attack.

“If a cougar shows interest or follows you, respond aggressively, maintain eye contact with the cougar, show your teeth and make loud noise,” BCCOS writes.

And if the cougar attacks, BCCOS says you should fight back and convince the animal that you are a threat and not prey.

“Cougar sightings are not unusual in rural areas, particularly those bordered by forests. The majority of Vancouver Island is considered cougar country," the BCCOS said in a statement to CTV News in May.

Cougars have been spotted in Colwood on a number of occasions this year, including in April, when one was seen preying on a deer carcass in the driveway of a home on Matilda Drive.

The cougar eventually moved on to a neighbour's yard while wildlife authorities collected the deer from the driveway.

In January, the West Shore RCMP issued a warning after three cougars were found in the backyard of a home on Colwood's Latoria Drive. Earlier that week, another Colwood resident reported that a cougar came onto her ground-level patio and killed her son's cat as it sat on their hot tub.

Two months earlier, a jogger called 911 after a cougar approached and followed her while she was running stairs in Latoria Creek Park.

"We will continue to monitor activity in this area, but residents in close proximity to large wilderness spaces should be vigilant at all times," the BCCOS said in a statement after the driveway incident.

"Pet owners should be cautious of allowing cats out from dusk till dawn in areas where cougars are known to be."

If a cougar “poses an immediate threat or danger to public safety,” the BCCOS says to call 1-877-952-7277.

With files from CTV News Vancouver Island’s Todd Coyne