Dear Editor,
I am responding to the letters about cougar sightings in Maple Ridge.
On March 1, I followed a set of cougar tracks right on the south beach of Alouette Lake. They were heading south and then down the Alouette River.
A week later I found another set of cougar tracks in the same area, same direction.
I have not seen any there since. I doubt that any of the happy picnickers there were aware there are cougars watching them.
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I should have clued in when the usual flock of Canada geese were absent on both occasions.
People need to know that when I was a kid the cougars were living and having litters just north of Fern Crescent.
Fifty years ago exactly I worked for Golden Ears Park. Every morning at 5 a.m. I had to shoo away the brown bears from the picnic and camping garbage cans. I hit a brown bear on a steep narrow trail on my 15-speed bicycle once, right where the Silver Valley subdivision is now.
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We both freaked-out and ran opposite directions. I was invading his home.
So, I am not surprised at the wildlife trying to regain ‘lost ground.’
Gary Ordog, Maple Ridge
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