B.C. Conservation Officers successfully trapped and killed a large male cougar who killed a companion pony in the Lac des Roches area on Thursday, Jan. 2.
It's an outcome the pony's owners, longtime community members Jim and Heather Carter, have mixed feelings about. Carter said on the one hand he's happy his other three horses are no longer under threat but on the other, he noted it's unfortunate the cougar had to be humanely euthanized.
"To us, everything was really handled well, professionally and properly. We called them immediately and (the BC Conservation Officers) responded immediately and kept us up to date on when they were coming and what they were going to do," Carter said. "They kept us informed once the trap was sprung and came immediately upon finding out the animal was in the trap. I can't say an euthanized wild animal is a good result, but the system worked."
Carter said he first noticed something was wrong early Thursday morning when he woke up at 6:30 a.m. and saw only three horses out in the paddock. After letting his dogs out he went to feed the horses and when his pony Ally didn't come for breakfast, he went looking for her.
Carter's paddock is partially open and partially wooded, he explained, and he found the pony's body near the very bottom of the paddock. He said it was apparent she had been killed by a predator, noting her side had been ripped open. Most concerningly, however, the body looked fresh.
"I presume the dogs I had let out and they went out barking first thing interrupted and scared away whatever had gotten the pony," Carter said. "We presumed it was a cougar, for a companion animal that big to be taken down."
After taking pictures of the scene, Carter's wife Heather called the Conservation Service who dispatched Matthew Henry from Clearwater and a trainee from 100 Mile House. Carter then loaded up his pony's body in a tractor bucket and took it closer to the house, to avoid her body being further damaged by the predator.
On arrival Henry investigated the scene where he discovered evidence that the cougar was still in the area, finding tracks of it following Carter's tractor. They were also able to determine it was a large male cougar based on the size of the paw prints and the length of the stride.
"So it had come back looking and was probably watching us the whole time as we were surveying the area and loading her into the bucket," Carter said.
The conservation officers then set up several traps near Carter's home to catch the predator, including near where his pony had been killed. After baiting the traps and setting up a trail cam, they departed to wait for the result.
They didn't have long to wait, as it turned out. Just about 24 hours after Carter originally discovered his pony's body on the morning of Friday, Jan. 3 Henry called Carter and told him trail cameras had confirmed the cougar had been successfully trapped. The COs arrived by 8 a.m. to assess the situation and Carter said they ultimately chose to humanely euthanize the predator.
"Unfortunately once they do become familiar that domestic animals are easier to find than prey out in the wild they just get more and more prolific at coming and taking domestic animals," Carter remarked.
Carter said that Henry told him it's unusual for cougars to act this way if it's healthy and planned to study the body further to determine the cause of its behaviour. He added that on initial examination they did notice the cougar had a broken kill claw on one paw but no other signs of obvious injury or disease. In a statement sent to the 100 Mile Free Press the BC Conservation Officer Service confirmed that this cougar was the one responsible for the killing and that it posed a risk to the public, hence why the decision was made to euthanize it.
Carter noted he appreciated the many offers he got on Facebook from concerned neighbours, some of which offered to come trap or hunt the cougar themselves. Many also told him they'd lost domestic animals of their own in recent weeks they suspect were preyed on by this cougar as well. Ultimately he said they trusted the system and it delivered the appropriate outcome.
"We live in a very rural area and we're in a rural area of a rural community and that's what we love about living out here. We like seeing foxes and deer on the property, hearing the wolves and we know there are cougars going around. We wouldn't have it any other way," Carter said. "We're obviously upset a wild animal had to be euthanized but in this case though, with the feedback we've had from neighbours, I think it is going to resolve an ongoing issue and that everybody in the neighbourhood can rest a little more assured they and their animals are safe for now."
The Conservation Officer Service noted in their release that cougars are found throughout B.C. and that residents should make every effort to prevent conflicts. This can include placing animals in fully enclosed pens at night, installing lighting around barns and pens, removing vegetation that could serve as cover, disposing of carrion, keeping pets inside at night and avoiding feeding deer or other potential prey animals for cougars.
They encourage anyone who encounters a cougar or any other animal that may pose a safety risk to contact them via the RAPP Line at 1-877-952-7277.
