Cougar shot in Calgary spurs public outrage, complaints

Many people have questioned a decision by Alberta Fish and Wildlife officersto shoot and kill a cougar that was outside Calgary'sSouthHealth Campus on Thursday.

• Cougar in Calgary killed after prowling outside hospital

A bouquet of flowers and flattened grass is all that is left at the scene where thecougar was shot.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife officials say they have received numerous complaints about how the situation was handled.

While many were outraged, some conservation groups say shooting a cougar is sometimes the only choice.

"Tranquilizing a cougar canbe difficult and it can be dangerous forthe people that are around," said BrittanyVerbeek with the Alberta Wilderness Association. "And also moving it once it's been tranquilized can be really difficult, so it was a tough call."

But many Calgarians say it was the wrong decision.They would have preferred to see the cougar tranquilized.

'Officers had to act quickly'

CBC News requested an interview with Alberta'ssolicitor general Jonathan Denis, which oversees Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

He didn't return those calls, but his office did provide astatement.

"The cougar was right next to the hospital entrance, and officers had to act quickly to mitigate the public safety concern before the animal escaped," the statement read.

"It is unfortunate it ended this way, and the officers had to make a very difficult choice with public safety as their first priority."

• Read the entire statement here

Wildlife experts say the bigger problem is how urban centres keep encroaching on cougar territory.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: TheYouTube videoof a cougar being shotbelowis extremely graphic.