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Cougar killed near Esquimalt plaza Sunday

A cougar was shot and killed in Esquimalt earlier this week.
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A cougar was shot and killed in Esquimalt earlier this week.

According to police, a woman spotted the cougar while walking with her two young children in the 600-block of FernhillRoad across from the Esquimalt Plaza and Bullen Park around 9 a.m. Sunday night.

Police contacted the B.C. Conservation Officers Service and was told that tranquilizig and relocating the animal was not an option.

The 18 to 20 month male cougar was killed with a single shot about 200 metres from Rock Heights school.

Conservation officer Peter Pauwels said the cougar was likely the same one they received calls about near Royal Roads and followed the shoreline down the Esquimalt Harbour until it ended up in the township.

According to Pauwels, the provincial policy states conservation officers are no longer allowed to relocate cougars anymore, and must either let it go on its own or destroy it — a change that was made about a year ago.

kendra.wong@vicnews.com