Coldstream Elementary students are being reminded that cougars are in the area.
A resident reported early Monday morning that a cougar was spotted near the school on Kalamalka Road.
"It was before anyone arrived to school," said Brian Stevens, principal.
The reported sighting was used an opportunity to reinforce the presence of wildlife near the school.
"Teachers talk to the students about safety," said Stevens.
There are reports of cougars around the school about six to 10 times a year, and bear sightings are fairly common.
The resident who saw the cougar Monday posted a comment on Facebook at about 2:30 a.m.
"Just spotted a cougar in Coldstream right at the elementary school, walking across on to someone's property. Holy she was big. Thought it was a tiger crossing the street at first," they state.
Conservation officers are aware of the earl-morning sighting.
“The cat has not jeopardized public safety nor have we had any reports of it depredating pets or livestock in the area,” said officer Ken Owens.
“The area where this cat was sighted is adjacent to good cougar habitat and it is not unusual for us to have cougar sightings nocturnally in this area. We encourage the public to call 1-877-952-7277 any time a cougar is encountered or a sighting occurs so we can assess the cougar’s behaviour and ensure the proper precautions are taken to protect people, pets and domestic animals that may be in the area.”
For information on cougar safety, go to http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/cougsf.htm