Ghost Cat Sightings

[roadrunner]

An interesting story of the North American Cougar.

For years there have been reported sightings of cougars here in the eastern part of the U.S. However, all were chalked up to either being mis-identifications or escaped pets. I always thought this was a silly explanation for all the sightings, yes many were misidentified and some were escaped pets; however, there were just far too many sightings, many of which were by experienced outdoors man, such as hunters, to just contribute to mis-identifications and escaped pets. Furthermore, the countless sighting were not just here in the U.S., but also across the border in Canada -- how many people are owning these animals as pets...rolling eyes...

Back in 2011 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended it be removed from the endangered and threatened species list, because they deemed it extinct. However, just three months later a cougar was killed by a vehicle in Connecticut, at first wildlife officials thought it was an escaped pet, but DNA testing confirmed it was from the Black Hills region of South Dakota -- How's that for irony

Fast forward to today and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially declared the Eastern cougar population extinct and removed it from the endangered and threatened species list. However, this seems to be a plan to somehow pave the way to help officials establish habitat for western cougars moving to the east as they follow deer herds.

Personally, I want to see them back here and thinning out the deer...

Here's just one story on their return.... https://www.outsideonline.com/2277141/isnt-end-eastern-cougar


And I'd love to be hiking and get this kind of footage, kind of creepy, but that's what I love.

 

[zigs]

We got Panthers here, seen one myself and know others who've seen them but we get the same from the authorities, must have been a big cat

A farmer found a sheep that had been dragged up a tree and eaten Fox isn't big enough to do that

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Personally, I want to see them back here and thinning out the deer...

We've had maybe a dozen confirmed reports of cougars in Wisconsin over the last year, though none in my part of the state. They're usually in the northwest part. We did just have a cougar sighting this year just a few counties north of me, which is pretty cool. I'd love to see them repopulate my state. I doubt they'll ever have a realistic chance, and there's no evidence of them breeding here, but it'd be great to see them back where they belong.

 

[Tjohn]

We have seen several around our neighborhood, but DEC says they don't exist. I guess the guy that shot one can't get in trouble......