Residents living in and around Chilcotin Road School in Williams Lake should beware that a cougar has been seen in the area said Sgt. Len Butler of the Conservation Officer Services Friday.
"We're doing a monitoring of the cougar, we're not trying to catch it right now," Butler confirmed.
On Thursday evening, Conservation Officer Jeff Tyre patrolled the area in and around the school and along Woodland Drive.
"He stopped into the school this morning and advised everybody of what was going on," Butler said. "There have been no complaints of pets being taken. The cougar has just been seen in different places at different times."
Butler said there are "so many" cougars in the region and it's not unusual for them to be around.
"We just want to let people know about this one because it has been seen close to the school."
Cougars are following deer for the most part and are not attracted to garbage, Butler explained. If there are cougar sightings people should call the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line, he added.
"If there is any livestock taken or cougars demonstrating aggressive behaviour, we'd really like to know, especially if cougars are seen by schools or dense neighbourhoods. It's still fairly warm and if for some reason we have to deal with it by using hounds or traps, we want to get on it right away."
Butler said the odd bear has been sighted this season, but compared to last year it has been quiet.
"I'm touching wood," he said.
People are urged, however, to pick up any rotting fruit from their yards and to wait to put out their garbage cans until morning.