A cougar family has been seen around Kaslo over the last two weeks.
Conservation officer Ben Beetlestone told 103.5 The Juice FM that they have had several sightings of a mother and two cubs, most recently Thursday morning.
“I don’t believe there’s been any aggressive behaviour towards people, but some pets have gone missing, in particular some housecats,” he said. “The cougars have been seen several times during daylight, which is not normal for them.”
He said cougars typically are more active between dusk and dawn, so seeing them in the daytime “is definitely unnerving for residents.”
Beetlestone said the conservation service has responded to the calls, but has not been able to locate the animals, as their scent dissipates quickly in the heat, making the use of hounds “challenging.”
He added that cougar sightings are not abnormal in Kaslo, which has a healthy deer population. He asked people who see them to let conservation officers know as soon as possible.
