An Alberta official says he doesn't want to see cougars overhunted, but some harvesting is needed. Pierrette Guertin/Dreamstime.com

By Canadian Press

WILDLIFE

Cypress Hills park among expanded Alberta cougar hunting areas

Dec 4, 2024 | 11:11 AM

Cypress Hills Provincial Park was named among six new areas where the Alberta government will now allow cougar hunting.

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READ: Cougar sighting in Elkwater

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Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen said Alberta’s cougar population has reached about 2,000, while an ideal population is 1,500.

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Loewen said that, while he doesn’t want to see cougars overhunted, some harvesting is needed.

He says cougar hunting is being permitted in new parts of the province because the big cats are appearing in different habitats.

Alberta Wilderness Association conservationist Ruiping Luo said she’s concerned the government has expanded hunting limits on another animal without scientific justification.

Last month, Loewen said his ministry had removed trapping limits on a number of fur-bearing animals like wolverines because the existing data wasn’t strong enough to justify the limitations.