OLDS — District Fish and Wildlife officer Adam Mirus says a cougar sighting that occurred in Olds during the Labour Day weekend is not unusual.
The cougar was spotted at least as early as about 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4 near 46th Avenue and 52nd Street in Olds. Mirus says it left town via the Olds College area at around 8:30 a.m.
Town officials alerted the public via a social media post at 8:15 a.m.
Residents were advised to keep all garbage in garbage bins and not leave any food outside.
Fish and Wildlife officers were alerted that a cougar was in town but Mirus says they didn’t take any proactive measures to shoot it out because there was no need.
“We provided information to the public and kept ourselves aware of the situation and spoke to the town,” he said during an interview.
Mirus said during its time in the community, the cougar never posed a danger to the public.
“There really wasn’t anything to deal with,” he said. “It wasn’t doing anything it shouldn’t have been doing and it was seen heading out the outskirts of town.”
He said witnesses kept Fish and Wildlife officers abreast of the cougar’s movements.
According to Mirus, it’s not unusual for cougars to come into Olds.
“They come around,” he said.
“They’re usually on the outskirts of town, but they get so many people leaving pet dog food and that kind of stuff that they’ll come into town. They go after loose cats and dogs, that kind of stuff.”
One resident wondered if the cougar was attracted to the compost facility at Olds College.
“Absolutely not,” Mirus said. “I’m sure all the public has their theories but what experience do they have with cougars? And cougars would have no reason whatsoever to go for compost.”
He said they would not go after the birds and other pests who are attracted to that facility either.
