Cougar sightings are becoming more frequent in the Coldwater area, according to some concerned residents.
Andrew Sturrock, who lives on Gill Street behind Foodland in the village northwest of Orillia, captured a video of a cougar in a construction zone of a new Coldwater subdivision in July 2021.
Over the past week, Sturrock has heard about cougar sightings on Telford Line in Severn Township and Irish Line in Coldwater.
“There have been a few stories over the years from farmers about their livestock being attacked and killed,” he said. “The ministry told them it wasn’t a cougar, but farmers have seen them in person on their properties and in their barns.”
Two weeks ago, Sturrock discovered what he believed to be cougar tracks in his backyard.
“It looks like it was pouncing around the yard,” he said. “It looks like it was chasing a small animal, like a rabbit.”
Sturrock has lived on Gill Street for 36 years. Not until now has he experienced so many frequent cougar sightings.
“Over the years, I’ve heard that Coldwater is a migrating path for the cougars,” he said. “Supposedly, there are more and more sightings because they are migrating through the area.”
While Sturrock isn’t too concerned about cougars being in the area, he says it would be worrisome for parents of small children, pet owners, and farmers.
“It is a concerning point when it comes to livestock or the livelihood of people,” he said. “Now you have to wonder if they are out there every time you go out.”
Lindsay Davidson, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, says cougar sightings are extremely rare.
“Cougars may live in northern Ontario because of the remoteness of the habitat and each year the ministry may receive a few reports,” he said in an email to OrilliaMatters. “Cougars found in Ontario may be escaped or released pets, animals dispersing from western North America, native animals or a combination of those.”
Davidson says, to date, the ministry is not aware of sightings in the Coldwater area.
“Cougars are generally secretive animals and typically tend to avoid people and urban areas,” he said. “At times they will pass through urban areas looking for food sources.”
Cougars’ natural prey include deer and small mammals. However, in rare instances, if the opportunity arises, they may consider livestock and small pets. Davidson says it is best to keep dogs on leashes and cats indoors if possible.
If anyone is confronted by a cougar, he says, it’s best to stay calm and not run.
“Make yourself look big (stand tall, raise your arms and spread your legs) and maintain eye contact,” he said. “Make loud noises by yelling, clapping your hands, using a bear bell, or banging things together. Give the cougar room to escape, back away slowly while maintaining eye contact with the cougar.”
More information about cougars in Ontario can be found here.
“We encourage anyone that observes a cougar to share their sighting including photographs with Ontario’s Natural Heritage Information Centre,” Davidson said. “Or, to a web repository such as iNaturalist.org.”
