A motion-activated camera Gordon Peachey slung over his back fence came back with some footage of a couple magnificent beasts.
Wednesday morning, at around 7 a.m. Peachey caught on video a female cougar and her cub sauntering past his Crawford Estates home.
It’s not the first time he’s had such a view of the natural world. He’s seen bears, coyotes and other creatures of the kind in the past. It was his first cougar sighting, but he knows it’s not the first time they’ve been there.
“There was a deer killed (in the same area) around this time four or five years ago,” he said. “It was confirmed at that time it was a cougar.”
As the owner of two small dogs, Peachey knows that while sightings of this kind are interesting, he also has to be wary and, in turn, he watches his pets “like a hawk.”
BC Conservation Officer Micah Kneller said that’s exactly the right thing to do, as well as ensuring that other attractants, like garbage, and hobby farm refuse are tucked away.
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In the meantime, expect to hear more about cougar sightings.
Kneller pointed out that much of the Okanagan is in an interface area, which explains many of the cougar and bobcat sightings that have come in through recent days.
“We get a few a week (from throughout the Okanagan),” he said.
“Cougars are very shy and they are just normally active at night.
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“They follow deer populations, so where there is a high concentration of deer you can be sure to see cougar.”
Kneller pointed out that the rise in sightings over winter months is also to do with the fact that it’s easier to see a cougar when it’s highlighted against a bright white, backdrop.
In winter, you can see their tracks, where you otherwise would not.
Also, if you have a sighting don’t just post it to your favourite Facebook chat site.
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“People post their sightings of their problems with these animals on social media, but they neglect to tell us,” said Kneller.
“A lot of things aren’t being reported to us and it’s important they are.”
To report a bear sighting, call 1-877-952-7277.
To report a typo, email:newstips@kelownacapnews.com.
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