SASKATOON -- Correction: Based on information provided by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, a previous version of this story stated that the man pictured with the cougar was the person who caught it. This is not the case.
A large cougar pictured in a photo circulating on social media was caught by a licensed trapper just south of Meadow Lake, Sask., in late December according to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment.
"It was a male cougar about 186 pounds, (it's) unknown how old the cougar was ... it's quite a large cougar and definitely an adult. It was very healthy," conservation officer Darly Minter said in an interview, adding that adult cougars are usually closer to 100 pounds.
"This guy must have dined on a whitetail just before."
The licensed trapper phoned the ministry on Dec. 21, 2019 to report the catch near Makwa, Minter said.
"It was legally trapped."
As for the size of the cougar, Minter said it was one of the largest adult cougars he's seen over his career as a conservation officer.
Cougars are a protected species and it's rare to find many cases of cougar-human contact, according to Minter.
"They are the most evasive and secretive species, generally travel in low light conditions," Minter said.
"It's very uncommon to see cougars but they're been in Saskatchewan for many years."
