Cougars seen near school

Photo: Mike Hanley

A telephoto shot of the cougars taken from Mike Hanley’s deck. Lounging under a deck above the hill across the street, about 100 yards from Columbia School.

UPDATE 3:45 p.m.

A family of cougars has been spotted in close proximity to Columbia Elementary. 

RCMP and the Conservation Officer Service are on scene at Cleland Drive monitoring a cougar and three juveniles which are under a deck of a home on the street above. 

They are keeping an eye on the cats as kids get out of school.

Local resident Lorraine Caisutti called the situation "nerve-racking,"

"We are concerned about the kids, with it being close to a school and all the pets in the neighbourhood," she said.

UPDATE: 1:51 p.m.

According to Sgt. Jim Beck with the BC Conservation Officer Service, in recent days there have been reports of a a female cougar and three juveniles moving between Ellis Creek and Penticton Creek.

At this stage they are monitoring the situation, as the mother is frequenting areas heavily populated by deer.

There are concerns, however, with a number of daytime sightings.

People who encounter the cougars or deer that have been recently killed are asked to call the RAPP line.

"We want to make sure the public is aware there are cougars in the area and to take precautions with kids and pets," said Beck.

There is also information available on the WildSafe BC website on what to do if you encounter a cougar.

Penticton resident Shane Quesnel was surprised to see what he believed to be a cougar walking in his neighbourhood on Thursday.

Quesnel said he was looking out the window of his home on Forestbrook Drive when he saw a large cat making its way down the alley.

"At first I thought it was a bobcat, but then I noticed it was about six feet long with a four-foot tail," he said. "And then I'm like, 'wow, that's a cougar for sure.'"

After the initial sighting, Quesnel saw the big cat go between two city trucks, before it dashed through the bushes toward the creek.

He immediately posted what he saw to the Penticton Facebook page to alert others in the neighbourhood.

'We are about two blocks from a school, so I was concerned for kids in the area, and wanted to alert people," he said.

There were also reports on the Penticton Facebook page of a cougar and two cubs spotted in the vicinity of Columbia Street.

As of Thursday night, the Conservation Officer Service had not received reports of cougar sightings.

Conservation officer Mike Stern said he had heard there were individuals posting sightings on Facebook.

"If there are sightings, they need  to be reported to the RAPP line," he said. "The COS does not monitor Facebook. Saying that, there may be legitimate sightings, however the COS can not respond without timely sighting reports."

The number to call is 1-877-952-7277.

Castanet will provide more details as they become available.