Sat Sep 14 10:56:00 UTC 2024: ## Sooke Girl Has Close Encounter with Cougar on Way to School
A 12-year-old girl had a frightening encounter with a cougar on Friday morning while walking to school in Sooke. Ginevra Vanveen was walking along a path between SEAPARC Rec Centre and Journey Middle School when the cougar appeared just six feet in front of her.
The cougar went into a crouch, snarled, and stared directly at Ginevra, prompting her to freeze in fear. “She could hear the crunching in the forest,” said Shawna Anderson, the mother of Ginevra’s best friend, indicating the cougar was following her.
Ginevra, who described the experience as feeling like she was “in pounce mode,” started crying and shouting “oh my god, oh my god.” She quickly raised her phone and arms, which may have helped scare the cougar away.
The shaken girl ran to Anderson’s home nearby, where she was visibly upset and sweating. “She kept saying I’m lucky to be alive,” Anderson said.
While Ginevra attended school and spent time with friends later that day, her mother, Melissa Vanveen, believes the encounter was with a young cougar.
Journey Middle School postponed some outdoor activities as a precaution, and the incident has prompted a reminder from BC Parks about how to handle such encounters.
They advise against turning your back or running away from a cougar, instead suggesting backing away slowly while making yourself appear large. If the cougar shows aggressive interest, make loud noises and even show your teeth to deter it.
If the cougar continues to advance, authorities recommend arming yourself with rocks and sticks, and if attacked, fight back by targeting the animal’s face and eyes.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service has been contacted for their response to the incident.
First Piper 