A dead deer was found in the backyard of an Esquimalt home. Police say it was killed by a cougar, but there has been no sighting yet. (Brian Braaten photo)

A dead deer was found in the backyard of an Esquimalt home. Police say it was killed by a cougar, but there has been no sighting yet. (Brian Braaten photo)

Dead deer in Esquimalt said to be killed by cougar

Police issued an alert late Friday afternoon when a dead deer was found in Esquimalt

  • Aug. 4, 2017 5:00 a.m.

Lauren Boothby

A deer was found dead in the yard of a Esquimalt home late Friday afternoon, said to be killed by a cougar.

Victoria police confirmed there was evidence a cougar was responsible, but the cougar has not yet been seen.

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Bowen Osoko, spokesperson for the Victoria Police Department, said although it isn’t certain, it’s better to take precautions in this situation.

“The reality is that it’s a wild animal in an urban environment. Because no one’s seen an actual cougar, we can’t confirm it,” he said. “It’s always better to err on the side of caution.”

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And there is reason to suspect it could be a cougar rather than another large animal. According to Osoko, police had to shoot a cougar not far from this location only a few months ago.

“Usually they’re young male cougars that are looking to expand their territory,” he said. “Unfortunately, there is often a conflict between people living in those areas and wild animals.”

Police are urging people to keep their children and pets indoors until the cougar has been located.

lauren.boothby@vicnews.com

Victoria News