Wildlife, including cougars, are moving closer into town in Canmore in search of food.
A cougar was seen hunting a deer in a busy residential neighbourhood on Pioneer Road around 5:30 p.m., Monday (Nov. 30). The deer was eating a dead sunflower plant on the property, but took off towards Elizabeth Rummel School when a cougar gave chase.
Provincial wildlife officials say coyotes have been hunting rabbits in south Canmore, a bold wolf pack has been hanging out by the Canmore Golf and Curling Club and grizzly bear tracks are being seen regularly on ski trails at the Canmore Nordic Centre.
They say it’s not unusual to have cougar activity in the town throughout the year, but there’s often a spike in December, January and February, though usually in areas abutting wildlife corridors.
“We start to see heightened activity in those months. Resident deer and elk are utilizing town and in some cases that tends to attract certain predators,” said Jay Honeyman, a human wildlife conflict biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks.
Cougars are generally shy and wary of humans, avoiding human activity and populations whenever they can. For this reason, calculating population numbers and mapping cougar range can be difficult.
Stalking and then rushing their prey from the ground, cougars are efficient hunters that prey on deer, elk, moose, sheep and other mammals. They may also occasionally feed on domestic pets, and can be active any time of day, but most often hunt at dusk, night and dawn.
“When we look at the types of prey cougars get into in winter, dogs are high on the list,” said Honeyman. “They are opportunistically hunting and if they see a dog and think they can get it, they are going to try.”
Most cougar activity tends to happen in neighbourhoods near wildlife corridors, such as the Rundleview area near Quarry Lake and Silvertip and Eagle Terrace on the other side of the valley.
“It’s not as common to be in that Pioneer Road area,” said Honeyman. “Maybe it came down Cougar Creek. It’s hard to know.”
A wolf pack, which is well known around the Banff townsite where it has been hunting deer and elk, has also been making forays into Canmore, including hanging out in an area near the Canmore Golf Course.
Honeyman said the pack has also been seen beside the Trans-Canada Highway east of the gate to Banff National Park.
“There’s a certain level of comfort there,” he said. “They weren’t moving off for vehicles.”
A grizzly bear has been spotted at Canmore Nordic Centre, and skiers have regularly come across its tracks over the past week.
Andy Rees, acting district conservation officer, said he expects the bear will den soon, but people should be aware that bears are still out and some won’t den as long as there’s still food and warmer temperatures.
“Bears are still out there so people need to be making noise, travelling in groups and carrying bear spray,” he said.
“Cougars are out year round, and bear spray has been successfully used on cougars.”
Rees said residents and visitors should remember wildlife can be encountered anytime and anywhere.
“The big thing for people living in Canmore is, as soon as you as step outside you should be thinking of wildlife,” he said. “You’re going to encounter wildlife, whether cougars or ungulates, and it should always be something that’s at the back of your mind.”
In town, Honeyman said residents should make sure there’s nothing on their property that could attract wildlife, noting crab apples and bird seed can attract deer and elk, which can potentially draw in predators like cougars.
That’s why it’s also important to keep dogs on leashes and pet food inside, he said.
“There’s a lot of wildlife around, both predator and prey, and just be aware that dawn and dusk are important times for certain predators, especially cougars,” said Honeyman.
“If wildlife get a certain level of comfort, they start looking at the town as an option, and we need to get people to not give them a reason to be in town.”
Honeyman said elk and deer are coming into town for food and security, noting elk were seen last week in the parking lot at Save On Foods and outside Elevation Place.
“We don’t want deer and elk in town,” he said. “They are looking for security and for food and if they can find both in town, then that’s a good place to be.”
If you see a cougar:
Do not approach the animal.
Face the cougar, and retreat slowly – do not run or play dead.
Try to appear bigger by holding your arms or an object above your head.
Immediately pick up small children.
Be aggressive. Shout, wave a stick or throw rocks to deter an attack.
Wildlife sightings can be reported to 403-591-7767.
