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Cougar killed in Ucluelet

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The BC Conservation Officer Service killed a cougar in Ucluelet on Tuesday.

Around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, a cougar was spotted walking past the Ucluelet Community Centre in close proximity to the centre’s child care facility.

Const. Marcel Midlane of the Ucluelet RCMP said the cougar walked past the community centre and sat on the edge of the parking lot for about 5 minutes before disappearing into the woods.

“Conservation sent a team of hounds up here this morning and they were able to locate one of the cats and they destroyed one of the cats so far,” he told the Westerly on Tuesday.

He said at least two other cougars are believed to be in the area and Conservation Officers plan to stay in town through Wednesday to seek them out.  

“They have taken one of the animals out and they’re going to continue their efforts to locate and destroy the other two,” he said.

“I know it’s been causing a lot of concern for community members who are parents, especially those with young children, and animal owners who are a little fearful of being out and about with these animals around.”

He said cougars are becoming too comfortable in Ucluelet where they are finding easy access to food.

 â€œThey’re getting too habituated in this area and getting too close for comfort and they’re not moving on,” he said.

“One of the big problems here is that there’s such a great supply of food for them with all the deer around, and all the animals and pets in people's yards, so it’s time that they go.”

reporter@westerlynews.ca



Andrew Bailey

About the Author: Andrew Bailey

I arrived at the Westerly News as a reporter and photographer in January 2012.
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