Conservation officers euthanized a male cougar in North Saanich near John Dean Provincial Park after it killed four goats.
According to a B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) statement to Black Press Media, the cougar attacked the goats sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 22), killing them in their pen.
Officers tracked the cougar, in possession of a dead goat, to a nearby tree. COS said the cougar was in poor condition because it was an unsuccessful hunter — hence the predation of livestock.
“The COS encourages all livestock owners to protect their animals from predators by locking them in a barn at night, installing electric fencing and using guardian dogs,” it said. “Good animal husbandry keeps our wildlife wild and safe.”
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