Al Miller was surprised to see a cougar walking through his suburban neighbourhood just above the old Riverview Psychiatric Hospital grounds in Coquitlam.
He was coming home from work when he saw the big cat sauntering near his home at the corner of Riverview Crescent and Sylvan Place at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday (March 7).
He tried to capture an image on his dash cam "but it was not to be," says the local nature enthusiast, who builds warmers for hummingbird feeders as a hobby.
Turns out, Miller isn't alone in spotting a cougar near his home, and it appears Coquitlam has been a hot spot for cougars lately.
Where are they?
Multiple reports have been made about cougar sightings through the Report All Polluters and Poachers (RAPP) tip line, according to conservation officer Evelyn Robertson.
She confirmed the behaviour is "completely normal" for this time of year when young cougars begin to seek their independence by finding and adopting new territory.
It's also common for them to move through Coquitlam, which backs on deep forests and has many greenbelts, said Robertson, with cougars typically making their journey through the city in the hours between dusk and dawn.
While most most active at dusk and dawn, a cougar can roam and hunt throughout the day or night in all seasons, according to the International Society for Endangered Cats (IEC) Canada.
They have ranges up to 300 sq. km and may roam up to 80 km in a single day.
Normal for cougars to roam at night
"We've gotten calls from all around Coquitlam and it's all cougars that are walking at night which is normal behaviour at this time."
She said more people are seeing cougars because their homes are equipped with CCTV cameras which capture images of the animals as they make their way through the neighbourhood.
They are likely coming from the mountains and using the greenbelts to get around, Robertson said.
"That’s a completely normal time to have cougars moving around, it's super beneficial when people call in sightings and so we can see if there are changes in behaviour."
There have been no reports of cougars interacting with humans or pets, instead, the cougars appear to be minding their own business.
However, Robertson said it's important that residents continue to secure attractants, keep their pets indoors and have them on leash if the walk in the evenings and early mornings.
Cougars are regular visitors to the Tri-Cities.
In 2020, an Anmore resident caught an image of a cougar in her back yard (see video below).
If you capture footage of a cougar in your neighbourhood, please share the raw video, along with the date, time and location of the sighting, to [email protected].
