A young male cougar was shot and killed by conservation officers, Tuesday (Aug. 2) after it attacked a six-year-old girl from Canmore at Barrier Lake.
The girl was walking along the shoreline trail by the Barrier Lake boat launch with her nine-year-old brother and parents when the young cougar pounced on Sunday, July 31
The father, who was walking in front of his daughter, reacted quickly, screaming at the cougar and throwing his water bottle at the cat. The startled cougar took off into the bushes, leaving the girl with a few scratches.
The quick reaction likely saved his daughter.
The family of four quickly left the day use area and returned home.
“It was over in a matter of seconds,” said District Conservation Officer Glenn Naylor.
He confirmed the cougar was a collared juvenile male initially caught in Banff National Park in June. His sister was killed on July 19 by conservation officers near the Canmore Nordic Centre after she attacked an off-leash dog near the west end of Highline Trail.
The family did not report the incident, but conservation officers found out about the attack on Monday. They scanned the area but could not catch the cougar.
“We saw him a few times, but couldn’t get close enough to him,” Naylor said.
On Tuesday, before noon, five conservation officers tracked the collared cat with trained cougar dogs and shot him. The chase was over in a matter of 15 minutes.
A necropsy will be performed this week.
“He was in good condition, and weighed about 80 pounds,” Naylor said. “What prompted the attack, we have no idea.”
This is the first cougar attack on a person in the history of Kananaskis Country, Naylor said.
Volunteers and provincial officials have been tracking the cougar for weeks and Naylor said the cougar had not shown any worrisome behaviour. Earlier this summer, however, the cougar reportedly showed habituated behaviour.
Most cougar attacks are attributed to young cats under the age of two. Most of those attacks are on children, Naylor said. He suspects the mother of the two deceased juveniles had been killed, and the young cats did not learn how to avoid people.
“Anything that moved, it could have attacked,” he said.
The officers had no choice but to destroy the cougar, Naylor said.
“History dictates if a young cat attacks a human once, it will do it again,” Naylor said.
The outcome could have been disastrous.
“This cat was not a good hunter. If it was an adult cougar, it could have been worse,” he said.
Barrier Lake trails remain closed while wildlife officials investigate the attack. Naylor said they’re looking for any evidence as to why the attack took place.
“We’re investigating to see if there is a kill in the area he was protecting or any other reason.
While several cougar encounters are reported every year, the last cougar attack in the Bow Valley took place in 2001.
Cougar encounters can occur at any time of the year and Naylor said historically, attacks are on children.
Naylor notes the cougars were collared to gather data and understand their movements.
“Wildlife is challenged to find places where they can hang out and feed without human conflict. We like the places they like – valley bottoms. Kananaskis Country use is increasing. Imagine what it’s going to be like when Calgary has 2.2 million people?”
Currently, there is no ongoing research on cougar activity in the Bow Valley.
In case of cougar encounters, the public is advised to stay calm and keep the cougar in view. Pick up children and back away slowly, ensuring the animal has a clear avenue of escape. Make yourself look as large as possible and never turn and run as sudden movements may provoke an attack. If the cougar attacks, fight back and focus on the cougar’s face and eyes.
For more information on cougar encounters, visit www.wildsmart.ca
Cougar sighting should be reported to wildlife officials by calling 403-591-7755.
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