A cougar believed to be the same one that was sighted several times on Newcastle Island recently is dead, after being shot by Nanaimo RCMP Wednesday morning.
The cougar was spotted running on the docks along Stewart Avenue in the early hours of the morning. A witness worried for his safety called Nanaimo RCMP.
“They arrived and out of a public safety concern shot the cougar twice,” said Cst. Gary O’Brien.
The animal was shot while it was climbing onto a dock and fell into the water. Conservation officers arrived later and removed the carcass.
“This is most likely the same cougar from Newcastle Island,” said Stuart Bates, a BC Conservation Officer. “It’s literally 100 yards away.”
The Conservation Service says they’ll leave the two traps set on Newcastle Island for the next several days to help ensure it’s the same cougar.
Bates said the dead cougar appeared to be two years old and healthy.
Kendall Hanson
