A cougar spotted yesterday in SaHali has apparently moved on, but Conservation Officers are telling people to be cautious for the time being.

It was spotted in a tree on a trail between Robson Drive and Monarch Court, near Summit Elementary.

School principal Justin deVries says a conservation officer told him the cougar was likely hunting for deer, and was likely not concerned about people.

“They gave confidence to me that there’s really no direct danger to our students or anything… He did let me know that they didn’t have any real concerns with the cougar. They thought that it would move out on its own, and in fact when I was talking to him it had already moved on,” DeVries says.

“But out of an abundance of caution, (BCCOS) said we should ask students to not use the pathways in the greenspace and that very small students are safer when they’re walking in a group… And even though he only said for a day or two, I decided just to go for the whole week.”

Conservation officer Graydon Bruce also says people should still avoid using the trail near the school for now.

(Photo: BC Conservation Officer Service)