Cougar sighting near Delbrook Recreation Centre

North Vancouver RCMP officers responded to a cougar sighting on a Mosquito Creek trail near Delbrook Park at 4 pm past Tuesday.

A video posted on social media by a Facebook user named Bob Hetherington captures a brief exchange with police officers, who are looking for the cougar with their guns drawn. “There were sightings about an hour ago…one sighting, one cougar,” says an officer.

Sgt. Kevin Bracewell of North Vancouver RCMP said police officers did respond to the call for a cougar in the trails near the Delbrook Recreation Centre, but directed all other queries to the Conservation Officer Service.

Conservation officer for the area, Simon Gravel, confirmed they received a call about the cougar around 4 pm from someone on the trail. “There was no threatening behaviour by the cougar. It was gone soon after. It is a forested area with lots of green space and these sightings are common,” he said.

Gravel, however, said the residents need to be aware that there are cougars in the area, and they shouldn’t leave their pets alone on the trail or anything else that can attract a cougar. “There are cougars in the area, and it is very important that people are aware of their pets or any other attractants. This is a reminder for people to be vigilant.”

An official warning is not being issued, however.

A ‘Cougar Sighting in the Area’ sign has been posted at the trail near the recreation centre, although Gravel said he couldn’t confirm if it was a new sign. According to the district, cougar sightings are rare in the area. However, since the back-country area surrounding the district is cougar territory, cougars have been spotted in the neighbourhoods.

Call the District of North Vancouver at 604-990-2327 to report a cougar. You can also call the COS call centre at 1-877-952-7277 if a cougar poses an immediate threat or danger to public safety.