Investigation underway after cougar kittens found beheaded on Vancouver Island

B.C. conservation officers are investigating after two dead cougar kittens were found without their heads and paws on Vancouver Island.

The B.C Conservation Officers Service (BCCOS) says the cubs were found shot and killed near Hill 60 Forest Service Road in the Cowichan Valley.

The service estimates the kittens were illegally poached within the last week.

“The killing of cougar kittens shows a blatant disregard for ethical hunting and wildlife conservation,” said Mark Kissinger, a conservation officer in Duncan, in a social media post Thursday.

“Thankfully, this is not the type of offence we see frequently,” he said.

The BCCOS is reminding residents that it’s illegal to kill cougar kittens – defined as being under one year of age or still having “spots” – and that it’s illegal to kill a cougar that’s in a family unit.

Anyone with information on the Cowichan Valley incident is asked to contact B.C.’s Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.