Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 23, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A cougar was sighted May 9 within 40 km of Yellowknife, just north of Highway 3.

"It can be dangerous," warned Raymond Bourget, Senior Wildlife Officer, after Environment and Natural Resources examined the tracks and confirmed the sighting.

Saftey Tips Avoid running or biking in areas likely inhabited by cougars. Keep children close. Many cougar attacks have been on small children. Hike in pairs, and make noise to prevent surprise encounters. Keep pets and food secure to avoid attracting cougars. If there is an encounter, do anything you can to appear larger, make noise. If attacked, fight back.

"They are a large powerful animal. There have been instances where cougars have attacked humans,"

In May 2004, two suspected cougar sightings prompted wildlife officers to wonder if the cats are migrating towards Yellowknife.

One was just 30 km from Yellowknife along Highway 3, near the most recent sighting and came two weeks after a woman from Rae reported seeing a cougar near the community.

Cougars usually stay near territory frequented by white-tailed deer, their primary prey.

Bourget said that the animal seen near Yellowknife is likely feeding on porcupines, hares, ptarmigan and the calves of woodland caribou.

Despite the growing number of attacks on humans in places where cougar are common, Bourget does not consider the big cats a threat to public safety.

"They're like any other wildlife around here," said Bourget.

The department continues to monitor the cougars, and encourages the public to report any sightings.