Following the attack of a dog by a cougar on March 2, a litany of cougar track sightings have been reported to Fish and Wildlife officers in the past week. However, only two sets have been confirmed as those of a cougar.
Fish and Wildlife Officer Dave Dickson said cougar tracks were found by Spring Creek Mountain Village on March 3 and another set was found near Grotto Road on March 6, but no trace of the big cats has been found since then.
“There has been no sign of the cougar, or it may have moved along,” Dickson said.
A cougar warning is still in place, however, no signs or closures have been erected around the townsite. Officers are still reminding the public to travel in groups, carry bear spray, keep pets on leash and report all cougar sightings to 403-591-7755.
Although rumours of more attacks have circulated, none could be confirmed. Most of the tracks reported have turned out to be those of dogs or coyotes.
“We’ve had no one come forward and none of the vets have treated any other dogs,” Dickson said. “If we don’t get a call, we can’t follow it up.”
He also reminded the public that cougars do live in the area, and finding tracks can be a common occurrence. They are most active during dawn and dusk, so residents should be most diligent during those times of day.
“Cougars are crepuscular in nature, so during the day we shouldn’t see activity,” Dickson said.
He has had reports of coyotes following trail users in Canmore, but no cougar signs.
