A local resident is urging others to be on the lookout following a cougar sighting in the city Wednesday night.
The resident, who spoke to the Regional Optimist Thursday, said he and his son were both at the Don Ross Centre for hockey registration Wednesday around 7:30 p.m. when they both spotted a cougar strolling on the nearby grounds.
According to that eyewitness, the cougar was seen about 300 yards from the south corner of the Don Ross, on the Chapel Gallery side.
The animal was seen walking slowly and crouching down, and had a big, long tail. He is convinced it is a cougar, and not a bobcat or a lynx, based on his own hunting experience.
Cougars have been spotted in the vicinity of the Battlefords in recent years. Last year there were reports of sightings in the Jackfish Lake area.
There has been no official confirmation from the City or other authorities about cougars in the Battlefords.
The eyewitness says he already alerted authorities to the presence of the wild animal near the Don Ross. With hockey registration going on there this week, the resident wanted to get the message out to people to be alert and on the lookout for a possible cougar in the area.
