[ http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Cougar+killed+after+chasing+woman+popular+Vancouver+Island+trail/9900263/story.html ]

Couple of days ago (June 2014), near a popular walk/bike trail west of Victoria, BC. Knowing cougars, quite obviously when the big cat went towards the woman (who reported she was chased) the woman started running, triggering the natural instinct of a big cat and run after her. Was that really necessary to shoot the animal ?
According to today’s interview with Wildlife authorities, to tranquilize a wild animal and ship it back into wild and less populated areas is too stressful.
I know this area very well and I cycle a lot on that trail alone, and I always watch up and above along the rocks lining this section of trail – cats like to hang out high on rocks. Never had the opportunity to spot a cougar. On Vancouver Island encounters are although rare but happen time and again.
I am against the practice of killing a wild animal like the cougar, especially in our areas where there are cougars all around us and try to survive in the close vicinity of too highly populated areas like Langford, Western Communities.
(See also my post on cougars Vancouver Island: [ https://renataveritashistory.com/2013/09/10/cougars-on-vancouver-island/ ])

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