Officials are warning of an uptick in cougar interactions on Vancouver Island after a jogger was attacked near Port Hardy.
The BC Conservation Officer Service said the jogger was on a remote logging road near the North Island town on Aug. 1 when the cougar pounced.
The jogger managed to fight off the big cat using a rock, and it fled into the nearby woods. The man suffered only minor injuries in the scuffle, including scratches and puncture wounds.
Conservation officers investigated the incident but couldn’t track down the cougar, likely a young male, according to Deputy Chief Chris Doyle.
The attack comes during a busy summer for cougar sightings on Vancouver Island. Sightings have increased island-wide this summer, a recent spike that Doyle said has yet to be explained.
“In general on the west coast, CO’s have noticed an increase in cougar sightings,” said Doyle. “The public is reminded to phone in cougar conflicts or sightings, particularly those around developed areas.”
He said the agency is aware of some cougar interactions that have been reported on social media instead of to the province.
Earlier this week, a man in Port Alberni posted an 11-minute video of his harrowing encounter with a cougar that showed up in his backyard, staring him down for nearly an hour.
Anyone who has an interaction with a cougar is asked to call the province’s RAPP line at 1-877-925-7277.
With files from The Canadian Press
