Amongst the lush hills and vast landscape of Cypress Hill Interprovincial Park, reports of cougar sightings have raised concerns among local residents and visitors.
While the presence of cougars in the region is not uncommon, recent social media posts and inquiries have drawn attention to their presence, leading to questions about their population and safety measures.
Travis Williams, a wildlife allocation specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, clarified that the Ministry does not actively monitor cougar populations as they do for other animals.
“We don't have a firm count and then we know they exist throughout the province at relatively low concentrations through much of the province, but the Cypress Hills does tend to be a place that there are more cougars than most,” he elaborated.
Cougars are a part of the natural landscape in Saskatchewan and are the most evasive and secretive of all wildlife species in Saskatchewan.
Regarding the increased number of sightings in the area lately, Williams believes it is due to the increased population and traffic in the area during the camping season.
“They are generally shy and wary of humans as a species and sightings of them can be sporadic given the time of year, how many people are around, etc.,” he elaborated. “This is park season, so there's a lot more people venturing around the sites. So, the opportunity to see a cougar potentially would be higher than other times of the year.”
Williams noted that for those exploring areas known for cougar activity, it is important to stay alert.
“Be aware of your surroundings, make noise while you're hiking to help avoid surprise encounters and if you do happen to encounter a cougar, don't run away,” he stated. “Make yourself look large, make loud noises and back away from the animal.”
Williams also noted that contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to suggest that Cypress Hills has the highest population of cougars in North America.
While there have been no reports of aggressive cougar encounters in the region this year, Williams encouraged vigilance and responsible outdoor behaviour.
If an individual does experience an aggressive encounter with cougars or wildlife, they can call the Turn In Poachers and Polluters line at 1-800-667-7561 or #5555 from a SaskTel cell phone.