With a recent report of a cougar being spotted in Estevan, people are being reminded to stay alert and be cautious during large animal sightings in the southeast.

Keeping safe with large animals

A cougar was spotted coming out of the valley on King Street in a Facebook post for a local group, with safety being cautioned.

That’s echoed by Matthew Tokaruk, a wildlife biologist with the province of Saskatchewan, who says sightings aren’t unusual.

“I think it’s just important to keep in mind that cougars are a natural part of the environment across Saskatchewan and in the South as well. People don’t see these animals too often, as they are quite cryptic, but they are around, and it isn’t necessarily unusual. So kind of keep that in mind as well.”

“On the safety side of things, it’s a lot like managing our interactions with other wildlife and other potentially dangerous wildlife. A lot of that just starts with being aware of our surroundings, aware of what’s out there. If we’re out hiking, walking in groups, being a bit noisy, that sort of thing always helps too, and just letting wildlife know we’re in the area.”

Common movement through the valley

Tokaruk says people should be sure to keep their eyes peeled when moving near areas such as the valley as those tend to be prime areas for animal movement.

“Any sort of river valley is a good corridor for wildlife movement. I mean, these are often areas of kind of contiguous habitat that intersect through the agricultural areas of the province or cities and towns, and that is a natural place for wildlife to be moving, and somewhere that we should certainly be aware that we may encounter wildlife, absolutely.”

If someone does end up seeing a wild animal, Tokaruk says that can be fairly normal and doesn’t always need a full report.

“It’s important to remember that seeing wildlife, even animals like cougars in that area can occur and can be okay. So if it’s just a sighting and there’s no concern for human safety, that’s okay, right? Safe encounters with wildlife from a distance are generally positive, and that’s all good.”

“If there’s a concern about habituated wildlife or human safety, folks can call the tip line at 1-800-667-7561. Again, that’s if there’s a real concern. Of course, if there’s an imminent risk to human safety, then do dial 911. But again, most scenarios where we encounter wildlife and dangerous wildlife included in that don’t get to that point, right?”

In order to stay safe, Tokaruk says that people should be prepared to manage their risk and be aware of their surroundings while potentially dealing with wildlife.