But of all the critters they could have caught on camera on the morning of Sept. 17, a trio of cougars was the last sight they were expecting when they played the footage. The family says in 22 years of living in the Elbow Valley, they’ve never seen a cougar, let alone three. Many bobcats, bears, deer, skunks, moose and more have walked through their yard. Bobcats were the presumed culprit in this case as well, until the family got a little closer. The family says they will now be a little more careful when going out. The province says if a cougar is spotted in your yard, people and pets should be brought in, the cougar should be given space to leave and neighbors and Fish and Wildlife should be notified. It is not recommended to run or turn your back during a cougar encounter, nor to play dead if the cougar becomes aggressive. Instead, you should try to get big and strong and, if contact cannot be avoided, fight back with whatever means are available. Further recommendations on cougar encounters can be found online here.
