A dead deer discovered in Esquimalt on Friday wasn’t killed by a cougar, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
The deer was found in the backyard of a home in the 600-block of Lampson Street around 4:30 p.m.
The discovery had Victoria police warning the public to keep a close eye on kids and pets.
On Saturday, conservation officers took the carcass off the homeowner’s property and after examining it said the animal was not killed by a cougar. At this point they say the death is a mystery.
The woman who lives in the house where the deer was discovered says she believes it was in fact a cougar that killed the deer.
“Part of it was in the middle of the backyard and the deer was out behind the playhouse … I would say a cougar got him just by the looks of it,” said Carol Ramsay. “We’ve been here close to 50 years, that’s the first that that’s ever happened and it’s kind of scary.”
In May, police were called to an area near Rock Heights Middle School in Esquimalt after a cougar was spotted roaming the neighbourhood.
The animal ended up being shot and killed because it was a public safety concern.
