Cougar sighting in Chetwynd prompts Little Prairie Elementary to keep students indoors 

CHETWYND, B.C. — Little Prairie Elementary in Chetwynd kept its students inside following a cougar sighting in the area last week.

In a social media post on February 6th, the school shared that there had been a cougar sighting in the area that morning.

The school asked parents to pick up their children on Tuesday if they usually walk home.

According to the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the BC Conservation Officer Service confirmed there were no interactions with the public but only a sighting of the animal.

The ministry says cougars have been expanding north for decades, and sightings are common in the Peace region.

Cougars will venture into human settlements in the winter while snow in the mountains increases and deer move downhill.

According to WildSafeBC, stop, stay calm, and do not turn around or run if a cougar is spotted.

WildSafeBC recommends maintaining eye contact, looking big, yelling, being assertive and backing away slowly.

If attacked, the foundation recommends fighting back and using bear spray.

More information on cougars can be found on WildSafeBC’s website.