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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Fort Simpson residents are being urged to be extra careful after an unusual predator was spotted prowling around the community recently.

There have been two cougar sightings in Wild Rose Acres since the middle of August, said Carl Lafferty, manager of wildlife and environment in the Deh Cho region for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The first sighting was on Aug. 23 at 4 p.m. The second sighting was on Aug. 31 at 9:55 a.m.

On the second occasion, a water truck driver spotted an animal and reported the sighting. Kelly Pennycook, the renewable resources officer who responded, got a brief look at the animal.

"It was definitely a large cat with a very long tail," said Lafferty.

The long tail is a distinguishing feature and confirms the animal is a cougar, he said. Cougars aren't normally seen in the area but they have been spotted before, said Lafferty.

Prior to these ones, the last sighting in the area was near the Jean Marie River access road in December 2007. The species' normal habitat is the forested parts of the foothills, mountains and interior plateaus of western Canada.

With a cougar in the area, Lafferty is cautioning residents of both Wild Rose Acres and the rest of the village to take extra precautions. Cougars move around a lot at night and the animal could appear in other parts of the village, he said.

The main message is children shouldn't be left unattended, said Lafferty.

If possible, pets and pet foods should be kept inside.

Renewable resource officers aren't sure what the cougar is eating.

"People should be very wary of their pets because it's a predator," he said.

Safety rules used for bears also apply to cougars. People shouldn't go out walking alone in the morning especially if they're listening to music through earphones, said Lafferty.

If anyone sees the cougar, it should be reported immediately to the Wildlife Emergencies Line. The sooner the call, the quicker an officer can assess the incident and any possible dangers, said Lafferty.