Cougar Photographed in W. NH

[Maddy]

Me too. I wonder what will be required to prove that though? A pregnant female won't be enough as that could have happened elsewhere, so even kits in a den probably won't be enough. That debate will be the next leg of the journey.



That'll only prove a big hungry cat eats things, though. That could've happened in CT with the one from out west that was killed.

In the Boulder case, there had been strong evidence that the lions were in the area. Farm animals and other family pets had been gutted in a very lion specific way, but the debate raged. Many did not want to acknowledge the threat. It all escalated as most things do. Sadly you might say the lion had the last word. He set the record straight, no doubt about it.

I found this article. It's quite good and makes reference to the Boulder incident documented in The Beast in the Garden.
http://www.cougarnet.org/deer_draw_cougars_ever_eastward.htm

I agree with Marnof. I think if I ever saw one while hiking, I would not stick around to get a pic but would do my utmost to back up and get away without running.

 

[Jason Berard]

Regardless of the veracity of this particular photograph, if you look at a "dots map" of confirmed sightings outside of their established range since 1990 (easy to find online), it looks like it is a matter of "when" not "if" they will be back here in large enough numbers to have the Northeast become a part of the "established range". I have heard one expert say she thinks that will take 10-20 years.

 

[Maddy]

Regardless of the veracity of this particular photograph, if you look at a "dots map" of confirmed sightings outside of their established range since 1990 (easy to find online), it looks like it is a matter of "when" not "if" they will be back here in large enough numbers to have the Northeast become a part of the "established range". I have heard one expert say she thinks that will take 10-20 years.

JASON... the wildlife folks I work with said the same thing.

 

[Fitz]

Stance

I find the stance of the cat in the photo kind of interesting. It reminds me of my house cats when I surprise them. They crouch down a bit and move along the floor.

 

[Chip]

Follow up article. Doesn't say much more, similar to what's been said here. There is info that the pic and story might be 5 years old though.

 

[erugs]

Follow up article. Doesn't say much more, similar to what's been said here. There is info that the pic and story might be 5 years old though.

Thanks, Chip, for posting John H's story. I bet he was embarrased to learn the photo had been taken that long ago, and one or two more people might not have switched to digital at that time. I believe they are here. I've heard of visuals from several different sources who I totally trust. One included two kittens in Coastal Maine.

 

[marnof]

So, people (in Officialdom -- is that a suburb of Concord?) who want actual scientific proof (ooh--scary) are Doubting Thomases. Hmmmm.

I mean, I see the comeback of mountain lions as less a matter of faith, more a matter of science. It's not the attitude I would expect from an objective journalist.