Information Bulletin

A summary of recent cougar activity in and around the town of Banff

December, 2000

On Dec 17, a Banff park warden helped Alberta Conservation Officers destroy a cougar just outside of Banff National Park. This cougar was responsible for several dog attacks in the vicinity of Canmore and Harvey Heights.

On Dec. 25, a park warden responded to a cougar sighting near the Banff Centre staff accommodation.

On Dec. 27, 2000, a cougar on an elk carcass was reported at the Banff Centre. On December 30, 2000, another carcass was found behind Cave Avenue. In both incidents, wardens chased a cougar away and removed the carcass.

January 2, 2001  

At 3:30am, a dog was attacked by a cougar on Buffalo Street in Banff. The dog ran away and was not seen until the following day. At 6:45am, in the Middle Springs housing area, a resident walking her dog was approached and then followed at close range by a cougar. It was discovered that the cougar was protecting a kill in the woods nearby. Park wardens removed the carcass, closed the immediate area, and attempted to immobilize and radio-collar the cougar.

At 1:30pm, a cross country skier was found dead 20 metres off the Lake Minnewanka Rd, 12 km from the town of Banff. Park wardens found a cougar on the woman's body and it was destroyed at the scene and brought back to the warden office for testing. The Lake Minnewanka Loop Road and the Cascade Trail were evacuated and closed, and an investigation was initiated.

Parks Canada’s contract veterinarian performed a necropsy on the dead cougar. The necropsy results indicated the cougar was a healthy, average-sized, male. It weighed 60 kg and was 210 cm long. The cougar had one broken canine, one missing molar tooth and some lesions and cuts. Further testing was carried out, including rabies, to rule out any other disease factors that may have caused its unusual behaviour. On January 3, the preliminary rabies test came back negative.

The necropsy and investigation findings confirmed that this cougar was responsible for the death of the cross-country skier on January 2. This mid-day fatal attack on an adult human was a highly unusual event and the first cougar-caused fatality in Alberta.

Park wardens began an education campaign to increase awareness and advise Banff residents and visitors to take precautions. In the evening wardens distributed a Cougar Advisory flyer door-to-door in Banff and put up posters throughout town.

January 3, 2001

Park wardens are confident that the early morning cougar activity in the Banff townsite on Jan. 2, and the cougar attack on the cross-country skier on the Cascade trail are unconnected incidents, involving two different cougars, coincidentally occurring on the same day. Evidence at both sites supports this finding.

The dog that was attacked in the early morning on Jan.2 by a cougar was found alive and was taken to a local vet for treatment.

Park wardens and trackers with dogs monitored wildlife activity (cougars, wolves, elk) around the periphery of town. Trackers found fresh cougar sign on the lower slopes of Sulphur Mountain, indicating that there was at least one cougar still in the area.

The door-to-door notification of residents and ongoing educational campaign continued.

At 8pm, a cougar was reported to have attacked a dog on a residence's deck on Springs Crescent. The dog survived the encounter.

January 4, 2001

At 7am, a cougar was reported on an elk kill near the Park Administration Building. This cougar is believed to be responsible for the recent dog attacks in the townsite.

A team of park wardens and trackers with 5 dogs tracked the cougar from the kill site to a backyard of an unoccupied dwelling nearby. At 10am, wardens darted the cougar in a tree and then climbed the tree and recover the immobilized cougar. The animal was radio collared and taken to the warden office to be examined. Initial results from Parks Canada’s veterinarian indicate it is a 110 lb. young adult female cougar, in good condition and not lactating. More tests are in progress.

There are still possibly 2-3 other cougars around the Banff townsite. Wardens will continue to trap, collar, and monitor cougars around the Banff townsite, to better understand their activities and behaviour.

January 5, 2001

Last night there was one sighting of a cougar at the Banff Springs Hotel, but no other incidents were reported.

At 12:30pm the cougar that was captured in the Banff townsite on January 4 was relocated by helicopter to a remote valley in the northern part of Banff National Park. The relocation site was chosen for its remoteness, good cougar habitat and abundance of prey. The adult female cougar was fitted with a radio collar and its movements will be monitored weekly by airplane.

January 6, 2001

For the past two days, wardens and wildlife research staff have been doing intensive tracking around the townsite looking for sign of cougars. There has been no confirmed new activity since the cougar was trapped in town on Thursday morning. Tracking will continue with the intent of finding, trapping and radio collaring animals for further monitoring. The collared wolves in the Bow Valley continue to be intensely monitored as well.

To reduce predator activity near residential areas, the elk aversive conditioning program has been expanded. Park staff and a dog handler with three dogs are working daily to move the elk farther away from town.

Park residents and visitors are reminded to stay vigilant and follow all the recommended safety precautions to prevent further encounters with cougars. These unfortunate occurrences involving cougars serve as a reminder for residents and visitors to take the necessary precautions required to enjoy, and live in Banff National Park.