Cougar stops at Vernon nature centre for late night drink

It’s unusual for a cougar to venture into the grasslands surrounding the Allan Brooks Nature Centre in Vernon, but that’s exactly what happened.

The cougar was caught on the nature centre’s night vision camera the night of Sept. 4, likely stopping by for a drink out of the nearby pond, according to a post on the society’s Facebook page.

The society speculates the cougar may have been searching for new habitat.

READ MORE: Cougar spotted wandering around Kelowna neighbourhoods

"This migration may cause animals to wander into human populated areas they would normally avoid,” the Facebook post reads. “We believe this cougar was most likely displaced from the nearby fires and is in desperate search of food and water as it heads towards our pond, looking a bit thin.”

The society goes on to say they are grateful the pond at the nature centre has served as a “much needed water source” for wildlife through the heat waves and wildfires this summer.

The B.C. Ministry of Environment estimates the cougar population at approximately 7,000 animals.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander or call 250-309-5343 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.