Two Cougar Kittens Found Beheaded With Their Paws Removed & BC Officers Are Investigating
They're asking for the public's help.
There is an ongoing investigation after two cougar kittens were found beheaded, with their paws removed from their bodies.
The kittens were "illegally shot" in what police believe to be a poaching incident on Vancouver Island.
B.C. Conservation Officers are now asking the public for help, hoping for any information to aid the investigation.
A statement posted on social media from the Conservation Officer Service said that the cougar kittens were "illegally shot and killed" near Hill 60 Forest Service Road in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
The kitten's heads and paws had been removed, officers said.
The illegal poaching incident is believed to have happened within the past week.
The Conservation Officer Service said that it is against the law to kill cougar kittens, which are considered to be any cougars under one-year-old, or cougars that still have spots on them.
It is also illegal to kill any cougars that are in a "family unit," they added.
Poaching wildlife is also an offence under the B.C. Wildlife Act.
"The killing of cougar kittens shows a blatant disregard for ethical hunting and wildlife conservation," said Mark Kissinger, a conservation officer in Duncan.
"Thankfully, this is not the type of offence we see frequently," he added.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
