more New England mountain lion rumors

[rup]

NY-NJ border at the Hudson River. 5 miles from NYC!

http://wcbstv.com/local/big.black.cats.2.973931.html

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=should-you-run-or-freeze-when-you-see-a-mountain-lion

 

[DougPaul]

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=should-you-run-or-freeze-when-you-see-a-mountain-lion

Interesting, but it does not address the question that I consider most important if I encountered a mountain lion: "How do I minimize the probability of death (or serious injury)?".

(Notation: p(x|y) means the probability of event x given that y has happened.)

It examines p(death|activity, attack) as a function of activity while I want to choose the activity that minimizes p(death|sighting, activity).

p(death|sighting,activity)=p(death|activity,attack) * p(attack|sighting,activity)

The study, by the author's own admission, does not examine what to do to minimize the chance of an attack (p(attack|sighting, activity) in the first place and thus cannot answer my question. So it is possible that the traditional advice of make yourself "big" and face down the lion before the possible attack is still the best advice to minimize ones chance of death or serious injury.

Doug

 

[sardog1]

I'd also like to see evidence that the size, age, and gender of the human victims was controlled for in the study. My initial response is that smaller, younger, and female victims were more likely to be targeted in the first place and more likely to freeze in a way that invited attack. No, I don't have any data to support this line of reasoning, just a hunch that bears investigation IMO.

 

[DougPaul]

I'd also like to see evidence that the size, age, and gender of the human victims was controlled for in the study. My initial response is that smaller, younger, and female victims were more likely to be targeted in the first place and more likely to freeze in a way that invited attack. No, I don't have any data to support this line of reasoning, just a hunch that bears investigation IMO.

It would be nice to see a real study...

Unfortunately the data would be hard to obtain. Anything based upon recorded reports would be biased toward incidents which resulted in serious injury or death. To get unbiased data, one would probably have to set up at a number of trailheads and get all returning hikers (including those killed by mountain lions ) to fill out a questionnaire.

Doug

 

[Chip]

To get unbiased data, one would probably have to set up at a number of trailheads and get all returning hikers (including those killed by mountain lions ) to fill out a questionnaire.

Doug

Right. including those who had no idea they were being stalked and consequently calmly continued walking or jogging through the area and away from the cat.

Those Rockland County black cats referenced above by rup are getting a lot of air time down here. Getting to be Big Foot status, though: If there are so many sightings (including a cat on a downed deer at a golf course) why has no one gotten a picture or collected any evidence ?

 

[DougPaul]

Right. including those who had no idea they were being stalked and consequently calmly continued walking or jogging through the area and away from the cat.

Simple: just get the cats to fill out questionnaires, too...

Actually, it shouldn't matter to the hiker as long he is unaware of the cat's presence and there is no attack. (And, of course, an attack will trigger awareness.) Presumably the hiker will not alter his behavior if he is unaware of the cat.

A questionnaire filled out by all hikers will implicitly cover this situation in the no sighting and no incident category.

Doug

 

[Chip]

Presumably the hiker will not alter his behavior if he is unaware of the cat.

Doug

Right. But if you're trying to determine the best way to avoid being attacked, the "unawares" calm continuance would add evidence to that "response", no ?

 

[DougPaul]

Right. But if you're trying to determine the best way to avoid being attacked, the "unawares" calm continuance would add evidence to that "response", no ?

Perhaps, but until we can get the cats to fill out questionnaires, that evidence will be unobtainable.

FWIW, I'm sure that I (and many if not most of us) have been watched by animals that would cause us to alter our behavior (or at least mood) if we knew they were watching us.

Doug

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://lohud.com/article/20090418/NEWS03/904180358/-1/SPORTS

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090429/GJNEWS02/704299927/-1/CITNEWS

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/6512426.html

 

[sardog1]

"'We did not hear any snaps of twigs, no crunches of leaves; it was like it was a ghost,' Stout said. 'My son said it's a ghost cat.'"

Ayuh: Puma concolor:The Latin name for the cat of many names
Cougar. Catamount. Painter. Panther. Ghost cat. Puma. Shadow Cat. Mountain lion.

This one in Winslow, ME, sounds like the real deal. And I damn sure wouldn't be sending the kids out with bells thinking that will keep them safe.

 

[funkyfreddy]

"'We did not hear any snaps of twigs, no crunches of leaves; it was like it was a ghost,' Stout said. 'My son said it's a ghost cat.'"

Ayuh: Puma concolor:The Latin name for the cat of many names
Cougar. Catamount. Painter. Panther. Ghost cat. Puma. Shadow Cat. Mountain lion.

This one in Winslow, ME, sounds like the real deal. And I damn sure wouldn't be sending the kids out with bells thinking that will keep them safe.

LOL. When my family lived in the country my mother would ring a big cowbell when it was time for dinner.

 

[funkyfreddy]

more smoke........

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/06/was-it-a-maine-mountain-lion-or-not.html

http://www.wgme.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.me/22bb5ddb-www.wgme.com.shtml

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/6512426.html

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=6d8f0bef-0ea8-48aa-b947-7720d5d58041

 

[DrewKnight]

OK, definitely not a New England mountain lion story, but yikes:

Three "killer" cougars killed near Canadian town

 

[Little Rickie]

OK, definitely not a New England mountain lion story, but yikes:

Three "killer" cougars killed near Canadian town

A two-year-old girl escaped with only minor injuries last month after her mother was able to beat away a cougar that had pounced on the child

That's the real story. Wow! Tough lady.

 

[funkyfreddy]

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6616253.html