Victoria police shot and killed a full-grown cougar that had been prowling the Gorge-Selkirk Waterfront area most of the day on Tuesday.
The cougar was first spotted at 5 a.m. on Garbally Road near a school and again at 4 p.m. on nearby Waterfront Crescent, where police confirmed they killed the animal to protect public safety.
“Given the close proximity to a school and preschool during care hours, the amount of people and residences in the area, and the amount of time it would take for conservation officers to arrive, the risk to public safety was determined to be high and a decision was made to dispatch the cougar,” VicPD said in a statement late Tuesday afternoon.
After receiving a report that the adult cougar had been spotted in the 400-block of Garbally off Gorge Road East just before 5 a.m., police saw the cougar for themselves in the 400-block of Dunedin Road and identified it as fully grown.
The animal moved to Jutland Road, and about 5:30 a.m., turned toward the water near Jackladder Lane near Selkirk Montessori School.
Using a patrol-car loudspeaker, officers took to the streets, warning pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers to avoid the area. Police escorted pedestrians out of the area.
Police also stationed an officer at the school during morning drop-off.
Just before 4 p.m., officers responded to a second sighting of the cougar in the middle of a park in the 300-block of Waterfront Crescent.
“Situations where police are required to dispatch an animal are extremely rare,” said VicPD. “We understand that people may feel strongly about this animal and its well-being, and we can assure you that this decision was not made lightly.
“This was a difficult decision for the officers involved. However, the safety and security of the community is our priority.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Environment said it’s unusual to find a cougar so far into the city, but the Gorge Waterway would have offered a greenbelt pathway, and deer — the cougar’s main prey — are plentiful throughout the city.
