BC Police Handcuff a Cougar

By Stan Greene, Observer Staff Writer

The RCMP has arrested a cougar in a neighborhood of Vancouver. For, well, stalking I guess.

The cougar was tranquilized, and released elsewhere. Which impressed me especially, since I witnessed Santa Monica police shoot a mountain lion who wandered into downtown Santa Monica in 2010. No cougar has come to downtown Santa Monica since.

The cougar is also called Puma, Mountain Lion or Catamount. The big cat is listed as Least Concern by biologists, who not nevertheless that It is threatened by habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and depletion of its prey base due to poaching. In Florida, where there is a small remnant population, it is threatened by heavy traffic, which causes frequent fatal accidents involving cougars. Highways are a major barrier for dispersal of cougars

Press release follows:

February 16, 2022, Maple Ridge, BC – Ridge Meadows RCMP go above and beyond to assist with the relocation of a cougar in busy Maple Ridge neighborhood.

On February 13, 2022 at 3:00 pm, Ridge Meadows RCMP received a call from a resident stating that they had seen a cougar in their backyard. A frontline officer and BC Conservation officer attended the 11800 block of 230th Street and located the cougar.

Due to the dense populated area and the risk to the public, with it being a beautiful day and people out in their backyards, the Conservation officer advised there was a high likelihood the animal might need to be euthanized.

After a discussion it was determined that Police could provide enough resources to adequately secure the surrounding area, the neighbouring residents would all stay inside their houses and conservation officers would tranquilize the cougar with over watch from officers.

The cougar was safely tranquilized and cuffs were utilized until the conservation officer could secure the cougar for appropriate transport and relocation to an undisclosed area.

"Thank you to all the residents who stayed inside and assisted with the best possible outcome for this animal." States Sgt. Hiesler. "We certainly did not want to see this beautiful creature euthanized and so, due to the public's assistance, the cougar was able to be relocated safely."