Growing wildlife concerns after conservation forced to kill another cougar

There are growing wildlife concerns in B.C.’s Interior after Conservation Officers were forced to kill another cougar on Wednesday.

A two-year-old male cougar was killed in Coldstream, near Vernon, after it wandered near an elementary school. Conservation said they received many calls about the cougar as it was injured, likely in a territorial fight. It was missing one of its paws, the end of its tail and had other wounds around its throat.

In all, seven problem cougars have been killed in the North Okanagan this season.

But Conservation says this is not that unusual.

“It’s a typical year for us,” said Mike Richardson, Vernon Conservation Officer. “Last year we had lots of cougar calls as well, with them taking livestock and stuff like that, and it’s no different this year.”

Last week, four young cougars were put down in Cranbrook after they were seen eating a deer near a school.

– With files from Global Okanagan