Jason Unrau
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Another cougar sighting has been reported to wildlife officers after two Yellowknife residents spotted the animal crossing Ingraham Trail just south of the Cassidy Point turnoff.

This is less than three weeks after the first confirmed sighting of the animal, which occurred May 9 within 40 kilometres of Yellowknife, north of Highway 3. Last week's sighting is the first reported east of Highway 3. All previous sightings have been on or near Highway 3 west of Yellowknife.

Raymond Bourget, senior wildlife officer for the region, validated the first sighting this year by examining tracks but has not yet confirmed the second.

"There haven't been any other sightings since (May 9) so this could be the same animal," said Bourget.

Also known as a puma or mountain lion, the cougar is said to have the largest range of any mammal in the Western Hemisphere, extending from the Yukon to the tip of South America. However, the Northwest Territories has never been considered part of its range.

Living a solitary existence, the cat is reclusive, generally avoids people and while attacks on humans are rare, they have occurred. Bourget told Yellowknifer that there is no intention to capture or kill the cougar as the department of environment and natural resources does not consider the animal any more dangerous than the other predators inhabiting the region.

"It's no more dangerous to the public than bears," said Bourget. "It is outside its normal range, though."

Bourget suspects the cougar, whose predominant food source is white-tailed deer, is feeding on hares, porcupines or squirrels. In May 2004, two suspected cougar sightings were reported; one near Highway 3 and two weeks later, a Rae woman reported seeing a cougar near the community.