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Hikers on the North Shore are being warned to be cautious after two people reported seeing a cougar on the upper BCMC Trail on Grouse Mountain Saturday morning.
The two hikers spotted the big cat on the trail between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and reported it to Grouse Mountain Resort staff, who alerted Metro Vancouver.
Parks staff have now posted signs alerting the public that a cougar may be in the area.
The cougar wasn’t displaying any concerning behaviour when it was spotted by the hikers, said Jennifer Saltman of Metro Vancouver, and was likely just passing through the area.
She added it’s not unusual for cougars to be spotted on the North Shore.
To avoid danger, parks staff advise hikers to go out with a friend if possible and not wear earbuds or earphones on the trail.
Cougar attacks are very rare, although there have been reports of cougar encounters on hiking trails in recent months.
In August, part of a trail system near Whistler’s Alpine neighbourhood was closed for a few days after a mountain biker reported that a cougar knocked him off his bike, then followed him for 10 to 15 minutes.
Another man reported a cougar took a swipe at him while he was hiking at Elk Falls Provincial Park near Campbell River the same month.
In June, the Conservation Officer Service also closed two popular mountain bike trails in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast after a cougar reportedly lunged and swatted at a woman, who was later treated in hospital. Luckily in that case a group of nearby trail builders arrived soon after the encounter and scared the cougar off.
Experts advise if you see a cougar, don’t approach it or run away. Instead, face the cougar and back away slowly. Try to make yourself look bigger and pick up sticks to wave them about.
Pick up any small children immediately, as children are most at risk.
According to WildSafeBC, cougars account for about 2,500 calls to the Conservation Officer Service every year, although many reported sightings turn out to be animals other than cougars.
Currently, the main trailhead at Grouse Mountain Regional Park and the Grouse Grind Trail are closed until December while repair and upgrade work is underway. Hikers can access the park through a secondary trailhead about 250 metres east of the usual Grouse Grind trailhead, through the parking lot. Meanwhile, the BCMC route and the Baden-Powell Trail on Grouse remain open.
