CANMORE – A close encounter between a cougar and a local woman running alone in the woods with her dog in Canmore left the woman shaken but unharmed.
Provincial officials say the encounter was initially reported as a cougar attack, but further investigation revealed that the woman, who was running with her dog on a leash, was approached by a cougar on the Guy Lafleur Trail between the Stewart Creek area and Dead Man’s Flats on Wednesday morning (April 26).
Samantha Hillier, a Fish and Wildlife officer with the Cochrane-Canmore district, said RCMP and EMS were sent immediately to the scene, but further investigation by Fish and Wildlife and conservation officers revealed there was no attack, although the close encounter left the woman very shaken.
“She saw a cougar and she deployed her bear spray,” she said, noting the runner had the dog on a leash attached around her waist.
“The cougar did not make any physical contact with the woman or her dog. The woman says that she managed to contaminate herself with bear spray.”
Hillier said the RCMP and EMS were called to the scene.
Fish and Wildlife officers, along with conservation officers, walked the trail to investigate.
“We looked for the cougar. We looked for any signs of the cougar. We didn’t see any,” said Hillier.
Warning signs have been posted in the area near the trail in the Three Sisters neighbourhood.
Fish and Wildlife encourages people to travel in groups and make lots of noise out on the trails to avoid a wildlife encounter and to carry bear spray year-round to defend against an attack or an animal approaching at close range.
“This is just one of those examples showing we could encounter wildlife at any time in and around the town,” said Hillier.
“It’s a good reminder to the public to be aware.”
Cougars are solitary animals and attacks on humans are extremely rare because cougars do not typically see people as prey.
In Alberta, there has only ever been one fatal cougar attack, which occurred in January 2001, when Canmore’s Frances Frost, 30, was killed as she was cross-country skiing near Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park.
It is very rare for people to hear the sounds cougars make as they normally vocalize only when they are mating, feeling threatened or communicating with their kittens.
Nick de Ruyter, Bow Valley WildSmart program director, said that makes it even more important for people to make lots of noise to warn cougars of their presence, but also for recreationists to pay close attention to their surroundings and look for signs of wildlife, like scat.
“You don’t want to surprise wildlife,” he said. “Human voices are the best tool to alert them that you are there.”
Free-roaming pets may attract and be attacked by cougars, and dogs are easy prey.
“Keeping dogs on leash is really important because, certainly, dogs can attract cougars, and off-leash dogs in particular,” said de Ruyter.
Bow Valley WildSmart emphasizes the importance of carrying bear spray to ward off an attack.
“We call it bear spray, but it can be used on any wildlife like cougars, coyotes, wolves and elk,” said de Ruyter.
In addition, de Ruyter said when venturing into the woods, it is recommended people travel in groups of four or more and preferably go in daylight hours.
“Cougars are active at all times of the day, but generally cougars are more active at dusk and dawn and at night,” he said.
“Try to avoid recreating at those times and ideally try in the daytime to head out on trails, but that’s not an exact science, as encounters can happen any time of the day.”
With the elk calving season around the corner in May and June, it is not uncommon for Canmore to experience more carnivore activity closer to town as predators like bears and cougars search out elk calves.
“We’re not quite in elk calving season yet, but there’s an increased risk of cougars, bears, coyotes, wolves being attracted to town by the elk calves because they are an easy meal,” said de Ruyter.
“Last year, we had a grizzly bear down by the engine bridge looking for baby elk.”
With elk and deer in the valley bottoms, and snow at higher elevations, it is also the time of year that more and more people in the Bow Valley get outside.
“We are all sharing a small, finite landscape at this time of year, and so there’s a higher, increased chance of an encounter,” said de Ruyter.
“We all need to be really aware of that and do our part.”
Alberta Fish and Wildlife provides the following advice.
- If you see a cougar in the distance, do not run or turn your back.
- If the cougar appears to be unaware of your presence, gather children and pets in close, slowly and cautiously back away and leave the area.
- If a cougar is hissing and snarling or staring intently and tracking your movements, do not run, and do not play dead. Make yourself look big and speak loudly. If the cougar makes contact, fight back and don’t give up. Use all means at your disposal.
Please report all cougar sightings in Kananaskis Country immediately to 403-591-7755 and in Banff National Park to 403-762-1470.
