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Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Ranger Rick ()
Date: August 07, 2013 07:04AM

Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
http://www.insidenova.com/news/local/lake_ridge/is-a-mountain-lion-roaming-westridge/article_9327198a-fea5-11e2-9814-0019bb2963f4.html


A mountain lion sighting, eerie screams in the night, the footprints of a huge cat. Just what is going on in Westridge?

One resident of the community off Old Bridge Road just west of Lake Ridge says she is certain she encountered a mountain lion along the walking trails late Friday morning.

“I know what I saw and it was definitely a cougar,” Jan Doble said.

The longtime Westridge resident was walking her dogs on the footpaths near Knightsbridge Drive and Eads Court around 11 a.m. when she came across the big cat.

“I clearly saw it lying on the walking path ready to pounce,” Doble said. “I walked over to the road instead of on the path, then into the yards across from the path to make the call [to the police.] As I was doing this, it got up and walked down the path across Eads then back up.”

After reporting what she’d seen to the police, she walked to the Westridge Homeowner’s Association offices and told a maintenance man about the sighting, as well.

“I clearly saw its longish, low-to-the-ground body, swishing tail and prance-like walk,” Doble said.

To add to the mystery, the night before Doble’s sighting police received a report nearby of loud screams in the woods – the kind of “blood-curdling” sounds a mountain lion typically makes.

Officers checked the area both times and found nothing, said Prince William police spokesman Jonathan Perok. He said the police reports from Westridge indicate what Doble saw may have been a large tan pit bull.

Doble disagrees. “Not a dog,” she said.

Another Westridge resident said she was walking her dogs along the same paths earlier this summer when she came across what looked like the footprints of a huge cat. A few weeks later, walking her dogs, the pets froze and wouldn’t continue on their walk.

Highly populated Westridge seems a most unlikely place for cougar sightings, but it’s not the first time there have been such reports. About 10 years ago, another resident of the neighborhood spotted what she thought was a mountain lion, in the same exact area near Westridge Elementary School. No evidence of the big cat was ever found.

State wildlife biologist Kevin Rose said he doesn’t know exactly what the Westridge residents experienced, but he’s sure it wasn’t a mountain lion.

“More than likely, it’s going to be a dog or unusually large housecat,” Rose said. “Short of hard evidence, we do not believe there are any mountain lions roaming anywhere in the state of Virginia.”

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries receives several reports of mountain lions – also known as cougars and pumas – every year. But to date, they’ve never found any evidence of the large cats in Virginia. The last cougar ever shot and killed in the commonwealth was in 1882.

“There’s a new phenomena of hunters using trail cameras, there are a lot of trail cameras are out there. They bait trail cameras with a deer carcass or road kill. That’s the perfect attractant for a mountain lion. There’s never been a credible trail picture,” Rose said. “A lot of hunters use dogs and mountain lions tree easily. With dogs chasing it, it’s going to go up a tree. There’s never been a case of that here.”

There’s no shortage of public doubt about the state’s stance on mountain lions. At least three websites are devoted to cougar sightings in Virginia and West Virginia.

Even the state Game and Inland Fisheries website reports there have been unconfirmed sightings over the last few years as close as Spotsylvania and Fauquier counties. But they are just that, unconfirmed.

“They’re just not here,” Rose said.

It’s a commonly held belief that the Eastern puma – as mountain lions are called here – are extinct. That may be, but there are still cougars of some sort roaming the United States.

Game officials say there are known cougar populations in Florida, Texas, Michigan, Louisiana, Colorado, Arkansas and California.

In 1994, former Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Kathleen Seefeldt’s sister, Iris Kenna, was mauled to death by a cougar at a park near San Diego.

So if it wasn’t a mountain lion, what did Doble see?

Prince William County has bobcats and coyotes, particularly around Quantico Marine Corps base.

Bobcats, Rose said, are “very secretive” and don’t tolerate people well.

“But they will move through suburban neighborhoods” on their way to large, wooded tracts, he said.

“Especially as we expand the human footprint, we are going to see more of these wild critters like bobcats and black bears,” he said.

In a 2011 article in Virginia Wildlife magazine, state wildlife biologist David Kocka debunks any theories that mountain lions are roaming Virginia, or anywhere along the Mid-Atlantic. But Kocka states that mountain lions do appear to be migrating eastward.

“If they move this far, could they become established here over time?” Kocka asks. “The answer will depend on their ability to adapt to a state with over seven million human inhabitants. The prey base is waiting for them, as well as many diehard fans of these elusive creatures.”

A mountain lion captured in California in 2011. The cat was later released, and was shot and killed in March 2012 after killing domestic goats. A UCSC undergraduate volunteering with the project took the photo. (Photo by Melissa Holbrook)
Attachments:
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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: 22192 ()
Date: August 07, 2013 08:47AM

Westridge is in Prince William County, not Fairfax.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Ranger Rick ()
Date: August 07, 2013 09:03AM

22192 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Westridge is in Prince William County, not
> Fairfax.

The Mountain Lion doesn't know that and will eventually look for food here.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: matt 703 ()
Date: August 07, 2013 09:53AM

Maybe a bobcat.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: waterway ()
Date: August 07, 2013 10:32AM

Ranger Rick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 22192 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Westridge is in Prince William County, not
> > Fairfax.
>
> The Mountain Lion doesn't know that and will
> eventually look for food here.


It is going to swim across the Occoquan?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Puk ()
Date: August 07, 2013 11:47AM

22192 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Westridge is in Prince William County, not
> Fairfax.

If he's illegal he's probably on his way to Fairfax County.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: same ol. ()
Date: August 07, 2013 11:51AM

A cougar has been killing illegals and burying them

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: August 07, 2013 11:54AM

same ol. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A cougar has been killing illegals and burying
> them



Instead of eating them? Weird!

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: roar ()
Date: August 07, 2013 12:20PM

There are mountain lions in the area. We have been getting pictures of a large mountain lion (maybe 140 lbs) on hunting trail cameras for about 5 years now in the Marshall, VA area. They do move around.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: topsy ()
Date: August 07, 2013 12:48PM

roar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are mountain lions in the area. We have been
> getting pictures of a large mountain lion (maybe
> 140 lbs) on hunting trail cameras for about 5
> years now in the Marshall, VA area. They do move
> around.

Pics please? Wny haven't you shared with the game wardens?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Mountain Lion ()
Date: August 07, 2013 01:10PM

topsy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> roar Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There are mountain lions in the area. We have
> been
> > getting pictures of a large mountain lion
> (maybe
> > 140 lbs) on hunting trail cameras for about 5
> > years now in the Marshall, VA area. They do
> move
> > around.
>
> Pics please? Wny haven't you shared with the game
> wardens?

We ate the Game Wardens, now we're coming for you! (Insert Roar Here).

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: August 07, 2013 01:12PM

Does anyone use the word puma? How about catamount?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: roar ()
Date: August 07, 2013 02:24PM

First of all they are protected so you better not shoot them. Game Wardens have known about them for years. This is from the website:

Mountain Lions, also known as the eastern cougar, or puma.

Characteristics

The total length of this species is 5-9 feet (cylindrical tail 2-3 feet) and it weighs from 100-200 pounds. They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. Since 1970, 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions, but have not been officially confirmed. Most sightings occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson County region. There is no fixed breeding season with one litter per 2-3 years with an average of 2-4 kittens being born. The young remain with their mother for 1-2 years. They may rear their kittens in a cave, a rock fissure or in a thicket. The home range of the female is 5-20 square miles, with 25 square miles or more for the male. They mark parts of their territories, such as trails, high ridges and crossings with scrapes, scratch hills, topped with urine or feces as visual or olfactory warnings. Their longevity in captivity is 12-18 years.

Distribution

There have been sightings in Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Bland, Brunswick, Craig, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Highland, Louisa, Nelson, Orange, Page, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Suffolk, Madison, and Warren counties. This species has been known to adjust to a wide range of habitats, from rugged mountains and hardwood forests to swamps. They often rest in caves, wet or dry not specified. Large blocks of uninhabited forest are beneficial.

Foods

Hoofed mammals, especially deer are the preferred food. They will secondarily resort to smaller wild mammals, birds, fish and arthropods. It will kill one animal at a time, and return to the hidden remains until it is eaten, but generally will not eat spoiled meat. It will generally stalk prey from on the ground, and the adult averages approximately 1 deer or the equivalent weight per week. They may also eat grasses and berries although they probably do not provide nutritional value but rather serve a medicinal purpose.

More Information

For more information, please visit the Virginia Fish & Wildlife Information Service (direct link to species booklet).
Attachments:
mountain lion.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: emaNruoY ()
Date: August 07, 2013 02:51PM

@ roar... Nice job copying the eastern cougar write-up from the VA Game & Inland Fisheries website... too bad though that you omitted the 4th word of the first sentence under "Distribution", which is "unconfirmed"...

The sentence actually reads "There have been unconfirmed sightings in..." and for the record, neither Fairfax or Prince William counties are listed...

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: topsy ()
Date: August 07, 2013 03:21PM

emaNruoY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ roar... Nice job copying the eastern cougar
> write-up from the VA Game & Inland Fisheries
> website... too bad though that you omitted the
> 4th word of the first sentence under
> "Distribution", which is "unconfirmed"...
>
> The sentence actually reads "There have been
> unconfirmed sightings in..." and for the record,
> neither Fairfax or Prince William counties are
> listed...

Precisely. No pics, no poo, no proof. Only "sightings". They are NOT protected btw, and if a hunter were to encounter one they would be legally able to shoot but even hunters haven't found any. If there are mountain lions it's more than likely an escapee from a zoo.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Steven King ()
Date: August 07, 2013 04:07PM

Years ago people were reporting a alligator in PG County. The "experts" immediately got on tv saying there was no way a gator was this far north. The people were said to be imagining things and probably drunk. It was maybe a week after the first report that the alligator was shot by the police on a PG street.

While I entertain the "experts" I often find they refuse to admit plausible evidence if it goes against their stated opinions.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: watchout ()
Date: August 07, 2013 04:41PM

You guys are full of it. Just because you don't see one does not mean they are not there. I spend countless hours hunting big game every year in VA for the past 40 years. I have shot hundreds of deer. In a lifetime of hunting, I have only seen about 20 black bears, 1 bobcat, and 1 coyote in the woods. Animals are there. Wildlife officials will not confirm anything unless you give them a dead animal. By the way, there was no way I would have gotten a shot off at the bobcat or coyote. But I saw them. No doubt there are big cats in Virginia.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: TOPSY IS WRONG ()
Date: August 07, 2013 04:52PM

"Topsy wrote "Precisely. No pics, no poo, no proof. Only "sightings". They are NOT protected btw, and if a hunter were to encounter one they would be legally able to shoot but even hunters haven't found any. If there are mountain lions it's more than likely an escapee from a zoo".

Hey topsy, you better read the VA hunting regulations. It specifically lists the animals that have open season for hunting and the dates. Deer, Bear, bobcats, and coyotes are all mentioned and have seasons. Cougars are not mentioned and therefore have no open season. No open season means that they are protected. So if you shoot a cougar / mountain lion you are considered poaching which is a criminal violation. THEY ARE PROTECTED.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Sasquatch Watchers ()
Date: August 07, 2013 05:11PM

Send this to that fat bigfoot researcher who posted his nonsense here a year or two ago. I don't think he's found any bigfeet in Virginia (yeah, no shit, Sherlock). He might be looking for a new hobby.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: topsy ()
Date: August 07, 2013 05:37PM

"Topsy is wrong" wrote:

"No open season means that they are protected."

That's a bunch of bullshit. I called a game warden four years ago and asked that question and was told that if they're not mentioned they're okay to shoot or
trap. I suggest you do the same.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: bar hop ()
Date: August 07, 2013 06:17PM

Saw a couple cougars in a bar one night. We did a threesome

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Check out this video ()
Date: August 07, 2013 07:59PM


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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: definition ()
Date: August 07, 2013 08:00PM

About 10 years ago I was in a car with 3 other people travelling on route 33 in Rockingham county. A large mountain lion ran across the road and all of us saw it. There was absolutely no doubt it was not a dog or bobcat. It was huge and had a tail. We talked to a Shenandoah Park ranger and he confirmed other people had seen mountain lions in the area.

When the "game officials" say they are not native to Virginia, they mean there is not a breeding population established here. A breeding population consists of more than a single pair or family. There can be animals passing through, and even ones and twos that stick around and take up residence. There needs to be some number that can sustain itself in order for them to be declared officially living here. I don't know what the number is though.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Out of Africa ()
Date: August 08, 2013 03:41AM

watchout Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You guys are full of it. Just because you don't
> see one does not mean they are not there. I spend
> countless hours hunting big game every year in VA
> for the past 40 years. I have shot hundreds of
> deer. In a lifetime of hunting, I have only seen
> about 20 black bears, 1 bobcat, and 1 coyote in
> the woods. Animals are there. Wildlife officials
> will not confirm anything unless you give them a
> dead animal. By the way, there was no way I would
> have gotten a shot off at the bobcat or coyote.
> But I saw them. No doubt there are big cats in
> Virginia.

Big Game hunting in VA? Rabbits,squirrels and possums. Oh My!
I really don't think deer are considered big game. We have coyotes in the neighborhood and see them often. I have seen puma in Southwest Va years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if they have migrated into the region.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Animal Tidbits ()
Date: August 08, 2013 04:01AM

Virginia doesn't like to acknowledge their presence, just like they don't want to acknowledge the presence of alligators down in Hampton Roads in the Great Dismal Swamp area.

Meanwhile, enjoy but don't try with one roaming around:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1tih6dsjCg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: I love the 80's ()
Date: August 08, 2013 04:49AM

definition Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> About 10 years ago I was in a car with 3 other
> people travelling on route 33 in Rockingham
> county. A large mountain lion ran across the road
> and all of us saw it. There was absolutely no
> doubt it was not a dog or bobcat. It was huge and
> had a tail. We talked to a Shenandoah Park ranger
> and he confirmed other people had seen mountain
> lions in the area.
>
> When the "game officials" say they are not native
> to Virginia, they mean there is not a breeding
> population established here. A breeding
> population consists of more than a single pair or
> family. There can be animals passing through, and
> even ones and twos that stick around and take up
> residence. There needs to be some number that can
> sustain itself in order for them to be declared
> officially living here. I don't know what the
> number is though.
Attachments:
Mountain%20Lion%20funny%20picture.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Mark Trail. ()
Date: August 08, 2013 07:20AM

The mountain regions of Virginia are huge. I dont see how anyone will certainty can say there are no mountain lions in Virginia.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Sas Quatch ()
Date: August 08, 2013 08:02AM

Mark Trail. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The mountain regions of Virginia are huge. I dont
> see how anyone will certainty can say there are no
> mountain lions in Virginia.

Or any Bigfoot out there.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Lions and tigers and bears ()
Date: August 08, 2013 08:19AM

Oh my!
There is plenty of them fierce critters out in the bush.
Early colonist wrote about the wildlife. Some even got eaten.
Sometimes you eat the pussy,
Sometime the pussy eats you.
Watch out for them Mountain Cougars.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: *Roar* ()
Date: August 08, 2013 08:48AM

.....
Attachments:
funny-pictures-lion-talks-diet.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Cecily ()
Date: August 08, 2013 08:59AM

As if I wasn't already paranoid about mountain lions, now there are actual sightings of one? I was starting down the trail early evening a few weeks ago behind the pool over off of Seymour Lane across the street from the Bull Run Library and I saw a yellow animal that could have been a cougar or a dog and I didn't take a second glance just turned and ran the other direction with my dog. It was probably a dog but I wasn't waiting around to find out. Just because the State says they aren't out there is no reason for me to believe them. Also if fools are keepng these dangerous animals as pets then that is a problem.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Mountian Lions/Cougars ()
Date: August 08, 2013 09:01AM

The state game commission is LYING to us. There have been over 1000 Cougars in Oakton since 1968. They prey on Warhawks, Statesmen, Rebels, Hornets and Cavailers.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: PMiller ()
Date: August 08, 2013 09:32AM

I don't know anything about what was seen in Westridge, but I do know there's been a large cat in the county in the last couple years. A co-worker who lives down near Helwig found tracks on his driveway after a rainstorm, so the tracks were made by muddy feet. He photographed them, up close with a ruler and from a distance so as to ascertain the gait. Clearly, clearly, this was the track of a big cat. Each paw covered three inches, and the gait was distinctive of a cat strolling leisurely.

We sent to the photos to PWC animal control and the state game warden, and both came back saying they look like big dog tracks.

Eventually I learned why. The Eastern Cougar is extinct... and if it isn't, the state would have to devote resources to preserving another large endangered species. That's why there's an institutional bias in the face of any evidence against cougar sightings, which happen a lot more frequently than the state claims, and which is why websites have sprung up (to provide counter documentation).

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Mountain Lions in Virginia: How They're Here and Why It's Denied
Posted by: Jackson Landers ()
Date: August 08, 2013 10:14AM

Once a year or so, in any rural area of Virginia you will have some stories in the local papers about sightings of cougars. Every time, DGIF and any other government agencies act as though the witness is claiming to have been kidnapped by aliens. The responses are so knee-jerk as to invite doubt over the legitimacy of DGIF's denials of the existence of cougars in Virginia.

Officially, the eastern subspecies of cougar was completely wiped out over 100 years ago, with the exception of a remnant population in the Florida Everglades. Even that remnant population is no longer genetically distinct, as critically low numbers eventually prompted conservationists to introduce western cougars into the population in order to prevent inbreeding.

For most of the last century, sightings of cougars in the eastern states were scarce. But in the last 20 years, reported encounters with the cats have increased. This has been particularly true in Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina.

There are two questions that need to be asked. First, how are the cougars back? Second, why are government agencies in denial?

It is my belief that the animals being so frequently spotted are not, unfortunately, the product of a remnant population of eastern cougars. They are cougars - just not of that critically endangered (or arguably extinct) eastern subspecies.

The idea of this being a remnant population seems far-fetched in the sense that so much time elapsed with few sightings. It is true that big, stealthy cats like mountain lions or leopards can live practically right on top of humans without their noticing it. Peter Capstick wrote of a pair of leopards living in a soccer stadium right in the middle of Johannesburg for months undetected; the duration of their stay being made clear by the later discovery of their lair and the accompanying array of rotting debris from past meals. But rural areas in America are filled each year with experienced hunters who spend a lot of time tracking animals and paying very, very close attention to what is in the woods. We also have professional foresters, rangers and field biologists out in our national forests and parks every day doing work that would have prompted regular encounters.

Those kinds of encounters with experienced outdoors people and wildlife professionals have been happening in recent decades. But for a long time they weren't, and if populations were so very low for, say, 50 years that nobody was even seeing cougars, then it's hard to believe that genetic diversity could have been sufficient for the population to ever rebound.

No, I don't think that what we are looking at now is a remnant population of cougars. I think that it is a growing, breeding population that originated from escaped exotic pets.

Quick; tell me where the nearest tiger is? Hint: probably not the zoo. There are about 10,000 captive tigers in the United States, according to most of the expert estimates I have seen. Most of these are being kept as exotic pets or on 'tiger farms' that produce hides and other tiger parts (these are hybrids of tiger subspecies, 'generic tigers,' thus dodging status as endangered animals). That's just tigers. Lions, leopards, cerval cats, etc. have their own surprising counts. Pet cougars are far more common than tigers or other really big cats. According to the Florida Panther Society, there are about 1,000 pet cougars in Florida alone.

For a real eye-opener, take a look at some of the websites out there about cougars as pets. Asking a few friends here in town, I've found out about at least 2 people in my county who keep pet cougars. I guarantee you that there are plenty more than that.

Just like with regular house cats, sometimes a pet cougar is going to escape. It's common enough to have prompted a few articles online on how to find your escaped big cat if it gets out. The thing with many of the people who keep these animals is that one is often not enough. The one cougar gets lonely and bored during the day, so they get another one. Maybe more. If a door is left ajar, you could very easily have a breeding pair heading for the hills.

Now my purpose here is not to pass judgment on people who keep exotic pets. My point is just that keeping cougars as pets has become so very common that the idea of there not being a breeding population of mountain lions in the eastern United States is kind of ridiculous. Of course there are wild cougars in Virginia. How could there not be? Even if 2 cougars escape 50 miles apart from each other, odds aren't bad that they'll eventually meet and breed. Under normal circumstances cougars have extremely large home ranges and run into potential mates or enemies by stumbling across old scent marks and following them up for days.

What little genetic evidence we have seems to bear out the exotic pet trade origins of cougars in the eastern states. Genetic tests were conducted on a cougar cub that was hit by a car in Kentucky. It was found to be of mixed South American and western descent. A classic exotic pet trade hybrid. There is simply no way that a South American cougar could have mated with a cougar from the American west without human intervention. The fact that it was a cub without a collar also suggests that the escaped animals are in fact breeding in the wild.

Without getting much closer and more intimate with a wild cougar than anyone in their right mind would, it's impossible to look at the animal and say what subspecies it is a member of. Most people would look at a western cougar, an Everglades cougar and a South American cougar without having any idea of what the difference is supposed to be. Indeed, the validity of even labeling these different groups as sub-species per se is still debated among taxonomists. So for all practical purposes, it doesn't really matter where the cougars came from. They will all look and behave the same way, given a particular environment and variety of prey.

This brings us to the second question that I posed earlier, which was why government agencies deny that these thousands of sightings have taken place. In large part, it's the fact that the eastern cougar is still on the federal endangered species list. If DGIF (or any other state's wildlife agency) officially agrees that there are eastern cougars running around, then suddenly they have a whole host of obligations. Conservation groups would descend on them, demanding efforts to nurture and protect this animal and it's habitat. They'd have to pay for studies and find the funds and the strategy for protecting the habitat. Private land owners might suddenly face development restrictions on what they can do with their own land.

Meanwhile, there'd be a whole other backlash from people concerned about the eventual consequences of living with a very large predator that can and does eat human beings on occasion. One group of hunters would be asking to hunt them right away while another group would be asking that they be protected and nurtured in order to produce a large enough population to hunt in small numbers indefinitely.

In a nutshell, officially admitting that there are wild cougars in Virginia invites a political mess that none of these people really wants to deal with. Can you really blame them? So in response to sighting after sighting and article after article, DGIF and other agencies give the same old 'swamp gas and weather balloons' routine, as if we were talking about unicorns or velociraptors hiding out in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Their potential 'out' when some hunter finally shoots one and forces the issue into everyone's lap is the fact that, as I have explained here, odds are that these are not in fact eastern cougars at all but rather exotic pet trade hybrids. Hybrids which have no official status in wildlife regulations and are not considered endangered animals.

At that point, DGIF will almost certainly attempt to calm everyone down by pointing out that these are the product of escaped pets. This is what other states have done in the same situation. That takes care of the legal protection issue, but as for the rest it changes nothing. In terms of either safety or a desire to restore the old ecology of Virginia with a large, top level carnivorous cat, who the heck cares what subspecies it is? The worst part is that people usually swallow this kind of crap. And certainly DGIF will say that we have no reason to think that the escaped animals are breeding, so they don't really count, etc. But you'd have to be a complete idiot to think that there is any reason why these cats wouldn't be doing what comes naturally and breeding in the wild.

Many of these pet cougars are not spayed or neutered. Not only because the potential cubs are worth money down the road, but it's got to be hard to find a vet who is willing to deal with an animal like this. A lot of big cat owners are rather secretive about the fact that they have these animals and some of them are keeping them illegally. DIY spaying is not something that pet owners are willing to get into. So yes, most of these escaped animals are probably capable of breeding.

Ask a bunch of your friends if they've ever seen a mountain lion. If you live outside of Northern Virginia, odds are that you'll find a few friends who have seen one. My next door neighbor saw one feeding on some roadkill down the street from us. Another friend from high school tells me he saw one near Crozet when it ran across the road as he was driving. All of us have seen bobcats in the wild and we know the difference.

Sooner or later, the reality that we are living side by side with large, dangerous predators is going to be forced on to us. Someone will be attacked or killed, or a cougar will be shot by a hunter. Deer populations continue to climb, providing plenty of food for this population to expand with. The issue can only be ignored for but so long. Virginia would do well to face up to what we have on our hands, decide exactly what kind of relationship we want with these animals, and implement policy to make that happen.

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Re: Mountain Lions in Virginia: How They're Here and Why It's Denied
Posted by: topsy ()
Date: August 08, 2013 11:38AM

Jackson Landers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once a year or so, in any rural area of Virginia
> you will have some stories in the local papers
> about sightings of cougars. Every time, DGIF and
> any other government agencies act as though the
> witness is claiming to have been kidnapped by
> aliens. The responses are so knee-jerk as to
> invite doubt over the legitimacy of DGIF's denials
> of the existence of cougars in Virginia.
>
> Officially, the eastern subspecies of cougar was
> completely wiped out over 100 years ago, with the
> exception of a remnant population in the Florida
> Everglades. Even that remnant population is no
> longer genetically distinct, as critically low
> numbers eventually prompted conservationists to
> introduce western cougars into the population in
> order to prevent inbreeding.
>
> For most of the last century, sightings of cougars
> in the eastern states were scarce. But in the last
> 20 years, reported encounters with the cats have
> increased. This has been particularly true in
> Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina.
>
> There are two questions that need to be asked.
> First, how are the cougars back? Second, why are
> government agencies in denial?
>
> It is my belief that the animals being so
> frequently spotted are not, unfortunately, the
> product of a remnant population of eastern
> cougars. They are cougars - just not of that
> critically endangered (or arguably extinct)
> eastern subspecies.
>
> The idea of this being a remnant population seems
> far-fetched in the sense that so much time elapsed
> with few sightings. It is true that big, stealthy
> cats like mountain lions or leopards can live
> practically right on top of humans without their
> noticing it. Peter Capstick wrote of a pair of
> leopards living in a soccer stadium right in the
> middle of Johannesburg for months undetected; the
> duration of their stay being made clear by the
> later discovery of their lair and the accompanying
> array of rotting debris from past meals. But rural
> areas in America are filled each year with
> experienced hunters who spend a lot of time
> tracking animals and paying very, very close
> attention to what is in the woods. We also have
> professional foresters, rangers and field
> biologists out in our national forests and parks
> every day doing work that would have prompted
> regular encounters.
>
> Those kinds of encounters with experienced
> outdoors people and wildlife professionals have
> been happening in recent decades. But for a long
> time they weren't, and if populations were so very
> low for, say, 50 years that nobody was even seeing
> cougars, then it's hard to believe that genetic
> diversity could have been sufficient for the
> population to ever rebound.
>
> No, I don't think that what we are looking at now
> is a remnant population of cougars. I think that
> it is a growing, breeding population that
> originated from escaped exotic pets.
>
> Quick; tell me where the nearest tiger is? Hint:
> probably not the zoo. There are about 10,000
> captive tigers in the United States, according to
> most of the expert estimates I have seen. Most of
> these are being kept as exotic pets or on 'tiger
> farms' that produce hides and other tiger parts
> (these are hybrids of tiger subspecies, 'generic
> tigers,' thus dodging status as endangered
> animals). That's just tigers. Lions, leopards,
> cerval cats, etc. have their own surprising
> counts. Pet cougars are far more common than
> tigers or other really big cats. According to the
> Florida Panther Society, there are about 1,000 pet
> cougars in Florida alone.
>
> For a real eye-opener, take a look at some of the
> websites out there about cougars as pets. Asking a
> few friends here in town, I've found out about at
> least 2 people in my county who keep pet cougars.
> I guarantee you that there are plenty more than
> that.
>
> Just like with regular house cats, sometimes a pet
> cougar is going to escape. It's common enough to
> have prompted a few articles online on how to find
> your escaped big cat if it gets out. The thing
> with many of the people who keep these animals is
> that one is often not enough. The one cougar gets
> lonely and bored during the day, so they get
> another one. Maybe more. If a door is left ajar,
> you could very easily have a breeding pair heading
> for the hills.
>
> Now my purpose here is not to pass judgment on
> people who keep exotic pets. My point is just that
> keeping cougars as pets has become so very common
> that the idea of there not being a breeding
> population of mountain lions in the eastern United
> States is kind of ridiculous. Of course there are
> wild cougars in Virginia. How could there not be?
> Even if 2 cougars escape 50 miles apart from each
> other, odds aren't bad that they'll eventually
> meet and breed. Under normal circumstances cougars
> have extremely large home ranges and run into
> potential mates or enemies by stumbling across old
> scent marks and following them up for days.
>
> What little genetic evidence we have seems to bear
> out the exotic pet trade origins of cougars in the
> eastern states. Genetic tests were conducted on a
> cougar cub that was hit by a car in Kentucky. It
> was found to be of mixed South American and
> western descent. A classic exotic pet trade
> hybrid. There is simply no way that a South
> American cougar could have mated with a cougar
> from the American west without human intervention.
> The fact that it was a cub without a collar also
> suggests that the escaped animals are in fact
> breeding in the wild.
>
> Without getting much closer and more intimate with
> a wild cougar than anyone in their right mind
> would, it's impossible to look at the animal and
> say what subspecies it is a member of. Most people
> would look at a western cougar, an Everglades
> cougar and a South American cougar without having
> any idea of what the difference is supposed to be.
> Indeed, the validity of even labeling these
> different groups as sub-species per se is still
> debated among taxonomists. So for all practical
> purposes, it doesn't really matter where the
> cougars came from. They will all look and behave
> the same way, given a particular environment and
> variety of prey.
>
> This brings us to the second question that I posed
> earlier, which was why government agencies deny
> that these thousands of sightings have taken
> place. In large part, it's the fact that the
> eastern cougar is still on the federal endangered
> species list. If DGIF (or any other state's
> wildlife agency) officially agrees that there are
> eastern cougars running around, then suddenly they
> have a whole host of obligations. Conservation
> groups would descend on them, demanding efforts to
> nurture and protect this animal and it's habitat.
> They'd have to pay for studies and find the funds
> and the strategy for protecting the habitat.
> Private land owners might suddenly face
> development restrictions on what they can do with
> their own land.
>
> Meanwhile, there'd be a whole other backlash from
> people concerned about the eventual consequences
> of living with a very large predator that can and
> does eat human beings on occasion. One group of
> hunters would be asking to hunt them right away
> while another group would be asking that they be
> protected and nurtured in order to produce a large
> enough population to hunt in small numbers
> indefinitely.
>
> In a nutshell, officially admitting that there are
> wild cougars in Virginia invites a political mess
> that none of these people really wants to deal
> with. Can you really blame them? So in response to
> sighting after sighting and article after article,
> DGIF and other agencies give the same old 'swamp
> gas and weather balloons' routine, as if we were
> talking about unicorns or velociraptors hiding out
> in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
>
> Their potential 'out' when some hunter finally
> shoots one and forces the issue into everyone's
> lap is the fact that, as I have explained here,
> odds are that these are not in fact eastern
> cougars at all but rather exotic pet trade
> hybrids. Hybrids which have no official status in
> wildlife regulations and are not considered
> endangered animals.
>
> At that point, DGIF will almost certainly attempt
> to calm everyone down by pointing out that these
> are the product of escaped pets. This is what
> other states have done in the same situation. That
> takes care of the legal protection issue, but as
> for the rest it changes nothing. In terms of
> either safety or a desire to restore the old
> ecology of Virginia with a large, top level
> carnivorous cat, who the heck cares what
> subspecies it is? The worst part is that people
> usually swallow this kind of crap. And certainly
> DGIF will say that we have no reason to think that
> the escaped animals are breeding, so they don't
> really count, etc. But you'd have to be a complete
> idiot to think that there is any reason why these
> cats wouldn't be doing what comes naturally and
> breeding in the wild.
>
> Many of these pet cougars are not spayed or
> neutered. Not only because the potential cubs are
> worth money down the road, but it's got to be hard
> to find a vet who is willing to deal with an
> animal like this. A lot of big cat owners are
> rather secretive about the fact that they have
> these animals and some of them are keeping them
> illegally. DIY spaying is not something that pet
> owners are willing to get into. So yes, most of
> these escaped animals are probably capable of
> breeding.
>
> Ask a bunch of your friends if they've ever seen a
> mountain lion. If you live outside of Northern
> Virginia, odds are that you'll find a few friends
> who have seen one. My next door neighbor saw one
> feeding on some roadkill down the street from us.
> Another friend from high school tells me he saw
> one near Crozet when it ran across the road as he
> was driving. All of us have seen bobcats in the
> wild and we know the difference.
>
> Sooner or later, the reality that we are living
> side by side with large, dangerous predators is
> going to be forced on to us. Someone will be
> attacked or killed, or a cougar will be shot by a
> hunter. Deer populations continue to climb,
> providing plenty of food for this population to
> expand with. The issue can only be ignored for but
> so long. Virginia would do well to face up to what
> we have on our hands, decide exactly what kind of
> relationship we want with these animals, and
> implement policy to make that happen.

No pics, no poo, no cougar.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Mountain Lions in Virginia: How They're Here and Why It's Denied
Posted by: WestridgeWoman ()
Date: August 08, 2013 01:18PM

I live in Westridge and I'm very excited about this news. I hope mountain lions are returning to this area. It's their natural habitat and they are incredible animals. People get panicky when they hear 'mountain lion', and think the animal is going to go on a neighborhood killling spree. But since the late 1800's, when they started keeping records, the total number of people in the US killed by mountain lions has been less than 20. Place that against the national average of people killed by dogs-18 per year. Or deer-kill an average of 130 people per year in auto collisions. There are plenty of other, more likely (but unprobable) ways to die and if your reading this, you've managed to escape them all. The biggest predator in the world (killing 1-3 million people per year worldwide) is swarming around in your backyard right now. Mosquitos have killed over 1,200 people in the US over last decade.

Male mountain lions require a range of 25-125 square miles (females 5-25 sq mi, but can overlap with males and other females). Males must travel huge distances to find an unoccupied territory with a steady food source (and genetic diversity). A few years ago, a mountain lion killed by car in CT was genetically identified to have come from S. Dakota-that's 1500 miles!

I spend a lot of time inthe woods and have noticed many other species recover (deer, wild turkey, coyotes, black bear, etc). I don't think it's a far fetched idea to think, since expatriation in late 1800's, that enough generations have gone by to somewhat replenish the mountain lion population. If you look at MapQuest and take note of all the wooded areas, you can see how it would be possible for mountain lions to travel along these routes without much notice. With the constant decrease in habitat, need for large territories, abundance of deer and other prey, what would stop them from filling these available niches?

The discovery of all the amazing things in nature-big and small-make the woods a never ending adventure. I hope along the way I'm one of the lucky ones to experience seeing a mountain lion. But I hope they continue to thrive and stay under the radar. It's their best chance for survival from their only natural predator - us.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: LOLz ()
Date: August 08, 2013 01:19PM

Stuffed Mountain Lion Scares Laguna Beach Woman Into 911 Call (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/stuffed-mountain-lion-sca_n_1701342.html

A mountain lion sleeping on your neighbor's patio table is a good reason to call 911. So Beverly Bradham of Laguna Beach, Calif., did the right thing, KABC-TV reported Tuesday.

Only this lion wasn't going to wake up. Ever. It was stuffed long ago by a taxidermist. Animal Control arrived on the scene to assure a panicked Bradham that the big cat was no more interested in napping or eating than a Hello Kitty doll.

It was all a prank intended to scare another neighbor, but Bradham spotted the lion first.

WATCH the video above from KABC-TV.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Hunter&Trapper ()
Date: August 08, 2013 02:21PM

Mountain Lion Attacks on the Rise.

Check out the pics of people who have been attacked. Not pretty. I hope mountain lions do make a comeback though so I can hunt them when they establish high enough numbers but that's only wishful thinking on my part as there are none in Virginia. This ain't Kaliforny.


http://gothunts.com/mountain-lion-attacks/

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Wanted ()
Date: August 08, 2013 03:41PM

...
Attachments:
Mt lion.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: WestridgeWoman ()
Date: August 08, 2013 06:05PM

But there is an extremely low probability of being attacked by a mountain lion.

More numbers....


There are about 14 Mountain Lion attacks on average per year in the U.S. As of July 1, 2013 the U.S. population stands at 316,404,000. Very, very, very low chance. I'm sure more people win the lottery each year in the U.S. than become mountain lion victims.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: <><>><><><> ()
Date: August 09, 2013 06:17PM

WestridgeWoman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But there is an extremely low probability of being
> attacked by a mountain lion.
>
> More numbers....
>
>
> There are about 14 Mountain Lion attacks on
> average per year in the U.S. As of July 1, 2013
> the U.S. population stands at 316,404,000. Very,
> very, very low chance. I'm sure more people win
> the lottery each year in the U.S. than become
> mountain lion victims.

Correction...That's "reported" numbers. How about the hunters that go out and never come back again? The mountain lions got them, or the lonely cougars in the neighborhood. Either way, it's a bad end. LOL

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Dr. Meow ()
Date: August 09, 2013 06:32PM

Pet-couger.widea.jpg

WHAT U LOOKIN AT

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: E. Hemingway ()
Date: August 09, 2013 07:39PM

Hunter&Trapper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mountain Lion Attacks on the Rise.
>
> Check out the pics of people who have been
> attacked. Not pretty. I hope mountain lions do
> make a comeback though so I can hunt them when
> they establish high enough numbers but that's only
> wishful thinking on my part as there are none in
> Virginia. This ain't Kaliforny.
>
>
> http://gothunts.com/mountain-lion-attacks/


A hunter and trapper? Living in NoVA?
WoW! I have a couple of chipmunks that have been very unpleasant of late.
Can you assist?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Time Machine ()
Date: August 09, 2013 09:40PM

Why do they think the species is extinct? Surely there are hunters spotting them and shooting them right?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Animal Tidbits ()
Date: August 09, 2013 11:49PM

Time Machine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why do they think the species is extinct? Surely
> there are hunters spotting them and shooting them
> right?


It's a political thing. If they acknowledge their presence, they have to have a species management plan. It's the same reason they won't acknowledge the presence of alligators in the Great Dismal Swamp area of Hampton Roads (see above). You are supposed to believe the alligators sense the imaginary state line and don't migrate any further north even though they are confirmed about 5 miles south of the VA border.

It's all political.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Time Machine ()
Date: August 10, 2013 04:42AM

Animal Tidbits Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Time Machine Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why do they think the species is extinct?
> Surely
> > there are hunters spotting them and shooting
> them
> > right?
>
>
> It's a political thing. If they acknowledge their
> presence, they have to have a species management
> plan. It's the same reason they won't acknowledge
> the presence of alligators in the Great Dismal
> Swamp area of Hampton Roads (see above). You are
> supposed to believe the alligators sense the
> imaginary state line and don't migrate any further
> north even though they are confirmed about 5 miles
> south of the VA border.
>
> It's all political.

And thus by that logic, even if one is found, they claim there is not a sufficient population of them living in the area. They say there was just one, "Passing through" then?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Hunter&Trapper ()
Date: August 10, 2013 10:04AM

E. Hemingway Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hunter&Trapper Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Mountain Lion Attacks on the Rise.
> >
> > Check out the pics of people who have been
> > attacked. Not pretty. I hope mountain lions do
> > make a comeback though so I can hunt them when
> > they establish high enough numbers but that's
> only
> > wishful thinking on my part as there are none
> in
> > Virginia. This ain't Kaliforny.
> >
> >
> > http://gothunts.com/mountain-lion-attacks/
>
>
> A hunter and trapper? Living in NoVA?
> WoW! I have a couple of chipmunks that have been
> very unpleasant of late.
> Can you assist?

Be happy to.

http://www.havahart.com/store/live-animal-traps/chipmunk

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Future state ()
Date: August 10, 2013 02:55PM

Hunter&Trapper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mountain Lion Attacks on the Rise.
>
> Check out the pics of people who have been
> attacked. Not pretty. I hope mountain lions do
> make a comeback though so I can hunt them when
> they establish high enough numbers but that's only
> wishful thinking on my part as there are none in
> Virginia. This ain't Kaliforny.
>
>
> http://gothunts.com/mountain-lion-attacks/

I wish the mountain lions would eat the illegals.

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Ghosts of Virginia's mountain lions?
Posted by: Mt Lion Sighting in PW County ()
Date: August 14, 2013 01:24PM

Ghosts of Virginia's mountain lions?
http://www.insidenova.com/opinion/editorials/ghosts-of-virginia-s-mountain-lions/article_b48b61bc-049a-11e3-81ef-001a4bcf887a.html

This one, on Aug. 10 at Prince William Forest Park, happened late afternoon outside a dining hall at one of the national park’s campgrounds.

Like the big cat sighting in Westridge earlier this month, the creature was gone by the time police and park rangers arrived.

And like the phantom cat in Westridge, officials were quick to point out that it wasn’t a mountain lion, though they didn’t see it for themselves.

In the most recent case, a young woman camping at the park in Triangle saw what she thought was a mountain lion and panicked. Police were called to an “unknown situation” at the park’s dining hall.

For a few minutes, it was unclear if a mountain lion had actually attacked someone.

When officers arrived, the cat – of course – was gone and no one was injured. The witness description put the creature at the size of a bobcat or fox, said Paul Petersen, a wildlife biologist and the park’s chief of resource management.

“It’s heavy cabin camp user time at the park,” he said. “People who aren’t used to the outdoors get out here, and a cat, or potentially a bobcat, becomes a mountain lion.”

In the Aug. 2 sighting of a potential mountain lion in Westridge, police said they believed the cougar reported by a longtime resident walking her dogs was actually a large, tan pit bull.

And wildlife officials were adamant that there’s no way someone spotted a mountain lion, because they no longer exist in Virginia.

“Short of hard evidence, we do not believe there are any mountain lions roaming anywhere in the state of Virginia,” state wildlife biologist Kevin Rose said.

Virginia’s mountain lions, known as the Eastern puma, were once on the endangered species list. But in 2011, they were declared extinct.

That federal distinction hasn’t stopped the sightings. Every year, game officials respond to a handful across the state. There have been sightings in Spotsylvania, Fauquier and now Prince William.

There are several websites devoted to tracking sightings of mountain lions along the Eastern seaboard. And each asserts that state and federal wildlife officials have good reason to deny the existence of cougars. If they weren’t actually extinct, governments would have to devote time and money to protecting them as endangered species.

At Prince William Forest Park, Peterson said he’s quite sure there aren’t any pumas roaming the park’s 15,000 heavily wooded acres. And he has evidence to back him up.

Between 2003 and 2006, the park conducted a carnivore study in an attempt to document the predators living in the forest. Rangers found evidence of black bears, bobcats, fox and coyotes.

(An interesting aside, Petersen said coyotes seen at the park and adjacent Quantico Marine Corps base are larger than their counterparts in the western U.S. That may be because they have wolf DNA. In an October 2011 study published in the Journal of Mammalogy, researchers studied DNA gathered through scat samples of Northern Virginia’s coyotes and found their ancestry includes the wolves of the Great Lakes.)

Petersen said the study found absolutely no evidence of cougars at Prince William Forest Park.

But unlike state game officials, he’s not willing to discount the possibility entirely.

In July 2011, a mountain lion was hit by a car and killed on a highway in Connecticut. In a news release, state game officials at the time said it was the first cougar seen in the state in 100 years. DNA tests showed the big cat’s genetics matched the DNA of mountain lions living in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

And they surmised the cougar walked all the way to Connecticut.

State game officials can toe the company line that mountain lions are nothing but ghosts here in Virginia.

But lacking hard evidence to the contrary, we say anything’s possible.

Click here to hear audio of the police dispatch
https://soundcloud.com/#pwcscannerbums/pd-lion
Attachments:
520b0a748731a_preview-300.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Patterson ()
Date: August 14, 2013 01:32PM

I don't live on that end of the county but I am concerned about these multiple mountain lion sightings. I wonder if I need start carrying a knife when I walk my dog. I am somewhat comforted by the study of the area where they have found no evidence of mountain lions based on prey studies, but this could be a former pet that some loser released into the wild. Never underestimate a human being. They are capable of incredible amounts of selfishness and stupidity. That being said the same could go for the people who have supposedely seen these big cats. I too saw a large yellow animal on the trail above Ashton near the Bull Run Library but I didn't report it because I only caught a glimpse of it before I turned and ran away with my dog. It stayed in my head for a few days and was more than likely a dog being walked by an unseen owner, but as I commented on an earlier article I am already prone to paranoia about wild animals in the woods. Once I was walking my dog on that same trail early one morning and froze at the sight of what I thought was a bear, turns out it was a woman bending over picking up dog poop.

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Re: Ghosts of Virginia's mountain lions?
Posted by: Yikes! ()
Date: August 14, 2013 07:17PM

Mt Lion Sighting in PW County Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This one, on Aug. 10 at Prince William Forest
> Park, happened late afternoon outside a dining
> hall at one of the national park’s campgrounds.

Right outside of the dining hall at the campground? Geez! That's too close for comfort.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Curmudgeon ()
Date: August 14, 2013 10:07PM

Quote

I wonder if I need start carrying a knife when I walk my dog.

you'd be dead before you figured out what happened.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Meow ()
Date: August 15, 2013 02:57AM

Pet_Puma.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: sleene ()
Date: August 17, 2013 12:05PM

Curmudgeon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
Quote

I wonder if I need start carrying a knife
> when I walk my dog.
>
> you'd be dead before you figured out what
> happened.


Mountain lions usually attack women and children and they like to sneak up on you. A healthy human can be a match, especially with a knife. As long as you stand up and fight and don't let the lion sink its teeth into your neck. My grandfather was attacked and fought one off. He had scars on his arm and leg. He punched it and used a rock to hit it with. He wounded it and he and his friend tracked it down and shot it later. My grandmother kept the newspaper clipping in her album.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: bozo the mayor ()
Date: August 17, 2013 03:54PM

Unless they actually capture/kill the lion the "experts" will not admit it is possible they have traveled into this area. The last thing experts will admit is that they are wrong. They will debunk any and all evidence that goes against their opinion.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: asdfadsfafd ()
Date: August 18, 2013 10:22AM

So there have been sightings but no bodies?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Logger ()
Date: August 18, 2013 10:51AM

I have seen several mountain lions over the years west of I -81 off of wolf gap road up to the town of gore va. It's BS when they claim mountain lions no longer exist in the mid Atlantic region. These studies come from some guy sitting in a office 400 miles away. Lots of US Forrest land ( vast tracks) was locked In By private property years ago that can support big cat habitat. In my opinion there is a health population of mountain lions just west of us.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: UR full of it ()
Date: August 18, 2013 02:41PM

Logger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have seen several mountain lions over the years
> west of I -81 off of wolf gap road up to the town
> of gore va. It's BS when they claim mountain lions
> no longer exist in the mid Atlantic region. These
> studies come from some guy sitting in a office 400
> miles away. Lots of US Forrest land ( vast tracks)
> was locked In By private property years ago that
> can support big cat habitat. In my opinion there
> is a health population of mountain lions just west
> of us.
Then why has there never been a picture of scat, footprints in snow, footprints in mud, picture of mountain lion, etc. Cause there aren't any!!!

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: BrotherBigfoot ()
Date: August 18, 2013 03:35PM

UR full of it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Logger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have seen several mountain lions over the
> years
> > west of I -81 off of wolf gap road up to the
> town
> > of gore va. It's BS when they claim mountain
> lions
> > no longer exist in the mid Atlantic region.
> These
> > studies come from some guy sitting in a office
> 400
> > miles away. Lots of US Forrest land ( vast
> tracks)
> > was locked In By private property years ago
> that
> > can support big cat habitat. In my opinion
> there
> > is a health population of mountain lions just
> west
> > of us.
> Then why has there never been a picture of scat,
> footprints in snow, footprints in mud, picture of
> mountain lion, etc. Cause there aren't any!!!

I totally agree. There may be a rare escapee from a zoo but as far as
any established population goes there are none or we would have hard evidence
and not just "sightings". There are however, a lot of delusional people and
we have plenty evidence of that. I once had a co-worker tell me he'd seen
eight mountain lions on his country property in SW Virginia. He said two
were on the roof of his cabin and six more standing around in the driveway
when he pulled up in his car and they refused to move. This same guy also
sees Bigfoot and UFO's so I can't take anything he says seriously.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: ranger rob ()
Date: August 18, 2013 05:18PM

UR full of it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Logger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have seen several mountain lions over the
> years
> > west of I -81 off of wolf gap road up to the
> town
> > of gore va. It's BS when they claim mountain
> lions
> > no longer exist in the mid Atlantic region.
> These
> > studies come from some guy sitting in a office
> 400
> > miles away. Lots of US Forrest land ( vast
> tracks)
> > was locked In By private property years ago
> that
> > can support big cat habitat. In my opinion
> there
> > is a health population of mountain lions just
> west
> > of us.
> Then why has there never been a picture of scat,
> footprints in snow, footprints in mud, picture of
> mountain lion, etc. Cause there aren't any!!!

There have been pictures of footprints. But not everyone who sees the footprints takes pictures of them, and even fewer end up posted on the Internet and fewer still on the Internet in places where they can be found by searches.

The experts don't all deny mountain lions have been sighted in Virginia, the debate is about whether there is a sustainable population actually living and breeding here.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: uh-huh ()
Date: August 18, 2013 07:47PM

Back in the late 90's we lived in the Lake Ridge area and a cougar was spotted early one morning - It was walking across Bacon Race Rd. and was seen by the PW County commissioner who was out jogging! Needless to say, she didn't get written off like you or me would have. All sorts of warnings went out to the general public - newpaper articles, posters at the marina and golf course... The info told residents to stand up to cougars while slowly walking backwards away from it, to carry a stick when you walk, try to avoid going out alone, and if you feel like you're being watched, you just may be!

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: purrr ()
Date: August 18, 2013 10:39PM

TalinaInMyLap.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: VA Cougars = Samsquanches = B.S. ()
Date: August 18, 2013 11:25PM

Logger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have seen several mountain lions over the years
> west of I -81 off of wolf gap road up to the town
> of gore va. It's BS when they claim mountain lions
> no longer exist in the mid Atlantic region. These
> studies come from some guy sitting in a office 400
> miles away. Lots of US Forrest land ( vast tracks)
> was locked In By private property years ago that
> can support big cat habitat. In my opinion there
> is a health population of mountain lions just west
> of us.


There's only one problem with your story and that's the fact that every year for the past 16 or 17 years, the VDGIF surveys bowhunters statewide. In these surveys, the bowhunters report EVERY species observed during their hunts.

Not a single cougar observation has been reported. Not one.

SNP ran a multi-year study and set up baited camera traps throughout the park. Not a single cougar appeared on the traps.

There was a similar biological survey taken along the AT, from NC to PA for several years. Not a single cougar appeared in those camera traps either.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: But... ()
Date: August 19, 2013 07:43AM

VA Cougars = Samsquanches = B.S. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Logger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have seen several mountain lions over the
> years
> > west of I -81 off of wolf gap road up to the
> town
> > of gore va. It's BS when they claim mountain
> lions
> > no longer exist in the mid Atlantic region.
> These
> > studies come from some guy sitting in a office
> 400
> > miles away. Lots of US Forrest land ( vast
> tracks)
> > was locked In By private property years ago
> that
> > can support big cat habitat. In my opinion
> there
> > is a health population of mountain lions just
> west
> > of us.
>
>
> There's only one problem with your story and
> that's the fact that every year for the past 16 or
> 17 years, the VDGIF surveys bowhunters statewide.
> In these surveys, the bowhunters report EVERY
> species observed during their hunts.
>
> Not a single cougar observation has been reported.
> Not one.
>
> SNP ran a multi-year study and set up baited
> camera traps throughout the park. Not a single
> cougar appeared on the traps.
>
> There was a similar biological survey taken along
> the AT, from NC to PA for several years. Not a
> single cougar appeared in those camera traps
> either.

They're being seen and reported by residents. It could be they're grouping in areas where hunting is not allowed, similiar to how the deer and other animals in Loudoun county used to hang out in herds by the National Conference center.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: While hiking ()
Date: August 19, 2013 10:50AM

I just found out the reason why there is no 'proof', is because no one cares about it! I found a very large cat track last week in the woods near the recent mountain lion sighting. Not a dog track. No claws, 3 lobes, generally round, very clear in the mud. There was actually a dog track a few inches next to it for comparison to make it even clearer. I thought of how crazy I was going to sound making the phone call, but I figured it was the responsible thing to do. A police dispatcher answered and said they route the calls to animal control. She asked what was going on before she transferred me there so I explained I found a large cat track. She said a bobcat or something else? I said, more like 'something else',it's pretty big. She told me 'as long as wild animals are not bothering people we don't send anyone out. The outdoors is where they live and if we relocate an animal another one will just move in'. I'm no track expert, but that's what I found and there was no interest from authority to further investigate, which is fine by me. I agree with their policy. It is their home. Where the hell else are they supposed to go?

Also, I noticed fresh mounds of dirt every so often along that trail. Visible claw marks scratched in the dirt at one of them. The claws were about 1 or so inches apart, so too wide to be a dog I'd think. Plus the drag mark was uneven and a foot long, like it was done with front paws. I didn't know mountain lions did that until I went home an read about it. Anyway, that's what I saw.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Hmmm, I don't know ()
Date: August 19, 2013 11:06AM

If they are escaped pets, then why would it just be that one species being released or escaping? People keep all kinds of exotic cats; African lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards and panthers (same thing), caracals, ocelots, etc. Why would cougars be the only cats spotted? They're better escape artists or the most intolerable house mates? I believe they're not even the most popular exotic cats that people keep. Wouldn't we see tigers running around too?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Jeff Davis Hwy Blues ()
Date: August 19, 2013 11:10AM

So much bullshit on this thread. Pumas roaming northern Virginia? Go look for bigfeet or aliens mutilating livestock or something. You'll have just the same amount of luck.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Clarified ()
Date: August 19, 2013 11:19AM

Jeff Davis Hwy Blues Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So much bullshit on this thread. Pumas roaming
> northern Virginia? Go look for bigfeet or aliens
> mutilating livestock or something. You'll have
> just the same amount of luck.

Not pumas, Mountain Lions and I wouldn't consider the area where they're being spotted to be "Northern VA".

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Cecily ()
Date: August 19, 2013 02:08PM

My theory with the knife was a worst case scenario and last ditch effort. Meaning if it caught me, my daughter or my dog, I could try to gauge it's eyes out or stab it in the mouth or anything basically. I have heard of this being successful on occasion. But, I think pepper spray or bear spray might be best and could work on a more likely predator (human beings). The tracks don't convince me. The person said large paws, but does this peson know the difference between a dog or cat track? I don't know that I do either. Even though I am sceptical I am still keeping my eyes and ears open for the possibility. I do anyway since I never know when a human predator is around.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Jeff Davis Hwy Blues ()
Date: August 19, 2013 02:16PM

Clarified Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jeff Davis Hwy Blues Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So much bullshit on this thread. Pumas roaming
> > northern Virginia? Go look for bigfeet or
> aliens
> > mutilating livestock or something. You'll have
> > just the same amount of luck.
>
> Not pumas, Mountain Lions and I wouldn't consider
> the area where they're being spotted to be
> "Northern VA".

Clarified? More like moronified.

Do you know the scientific name for a "mountain lion," dumbass? Yes, that's right, puma concolor.

"Mountain lion" is just one of several, commonly used names for a "puma." Like "cougar" and "panther." And even "catamount," if you're from the sticks.

That's why pumas are also called "the cat with many names."

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Jeff Davis Hwy Blues ()
Date: August 19, 2013 02:17PM

Clarified Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not pumas, Mountain Lions and I wouldn't consider
> the area where they're being spotted to be
> "Northern VA".


Another thing, fool: you don't consider Lake Ridge to be part of northern VA?

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Enough of this roaring ()
Date: August 19, 2013 03:40PM

There are mountain lions(cougars) in the area. Bears too. They have adapted to the environment. So keep your pets and children inside. And no great white NoVA hunter is intelligent to track them.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Clarified ()
Date: August 19, 2013 03:44PM

Jeff Davis Hwy Blues Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Clarified Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not pumas, Mountain Lions and I wouldn't
> consider
> > the area where they're being spotted to be
> > "Northern VA".
>
>
> Another thing, fool: you don't consider Lake Ridge
> to be part of northern VA?

No, not really.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Jeff Davis Hwy Blues ()
Date: August 19, 2013 07:02PM

Clarified Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jeff Davis Hwy Blues Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Another thing, fool: you don't consider Lake
> Ridge
> > to be part of northern VA?
>
> No, not really.

Well just like your stupid and incorrect assertion that a "puma" was different from a "mountain lion," AKA a puma concolor, your understanding of geography is just as poor.

Lake Ridge is in Prince William County. A county that is by all accepted definitions firmly part of northern Virginia.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Clarified ()
Date: August 19, 2013 07:17PM

Jeff Davis Hwy Blues Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Clarified Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Jeff Davis Hwy Blues Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Another thing, fool: you don't consider Lake
> > Ridge
> > > to be part of northern VA?
> >
> > No, not really.
>
> Well just like your stupid and incorrect assertion
> that a "puma" was different from a "mountain
> lion," AKA a puma concolor, your understanding of
> geography is just as poor.
>
> Lake Ridge is in Prince William County. A county
> that is by all accepted definitions firmly part of
> northern Virginia.

Sorry Hick, anything past Manassas is no longer Northern VA, we decided that on this forum ages ago. So stick to what you do best, bitching about Pumas and Mountain Lions.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: New sightings? ()
Date: September 15, 2013 04:52AM

I've heard rumors of new sightings. Now that its getting cooler, the cats are coming down from the mountains.
Attachments:
2ci9cpdgwu.jpg

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eastern cougar (=puma) (Puma (=Felis) concolor cougar)
Posted by: Mt. Lion ()
Date: September 15, 2013 12:05PM

eastern cougar (=puma) (Puma (=Felis) concolor cougar)
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/?s=050112

Distribution Map
Characteristics
The total length of this species is 5-9 feet (cylindrical tail 2-3 feet) and it weighs from 100-200 pounds. They are dark reddish-or yellowish-brown dorsally, lighter ventrally, the tail tip is dark, and the fur is short, soft and unspotted. Since 1970, 121 sightings have been identified as possible mountain lions, but have not been officially confirmed. Most sightings occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson County region. There is no fixed breeding season with one litter per 2-3 years with an average of 2-4 kittens being born. The young remain with their mother for 1-2 years. They may rear their kittens in a cave, a rock fissure or in a thicket. The home range of the female is 5-20 square miles, with 25 square miles or more for the male. They mark parts of their territories, such as trails, high ridges and crossings with scrapes, scratch hills, topped with urine or feces as visual or olfactory warnings. Their longevity in captivity is 12-18 years.

Distribution
There have been unconfirmed sightings in Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Bland, Brunswick, Craig, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Highland, Louisa, Nelson, Orange, Page, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Suffolk, Madison, and Warren counties. This species has been known to adjust to a wide range of habitats, from rugged mountains and hardwood forests to swamps. They often rest in caves, wet or dry not specified. Large blocks of uninhabited forest are beneficial.

Foods
Hoofed mammals, especially deer are the preferred food. They will secondarily resort to smaller wild mammals, birds, fish and arthropods. It will kill one animal at a time, and return to the hidden remains until it is eaten, but generally will not eat spoiled meat. It will generally stalk prey from on the ground, and the adult averages approximately 1 deer or the equivalent weight per week. They may also eat grasses and berries although they probably do not provide nutritional value but rather serve a medicinal purpose.

More Information
For more information, please visit the Virginia Fish & Wildlife Information Service (direct link to species booklet).

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: adfasdasdfas ()
Date: October 27, 2013 05:09AM

Dr. Felitus Meow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/dc-mount
> ain-lion-alert-generates-jokes-but-no-sign-of-a-gi
> ant-cat/2013/10/03/9e488538-2c4f-11e3-b139-029811d
> bb57f_story.html

I wonder if we'll start to hear about more sightings now that its starting to get cold again.

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Midnight big cat report in Maryland – nothing found
Posted by: Midnight big cat ()
Date: December 14, 2013 08:53PM

Midnight big cat report in Maryland – nothing found
http://doubtfulnews.com/tag/mountain-lion/

Someone called 911 at 12:54 a.m. Wednesday to report seeing “a cougar or a mountain lion” in the area of Tollgate and Singer roads, Harford County emergency operations spokesman Robert Thomas confirmed. The caller did not leave a name.

The monitored radio broadcast reported a caller saw “three cougars, possibly mountain lions on Singer Road.”

The radio dispatcher said the caller described the cats as being “tan” and said they had just crossed the road and that “one was possibly a cub.”

Prior to Wednesday morning, the most recent suspected cougar encounter in Harford occurred in late November 2011, when a man claimed he saw what he believed were cougar tracks around Macton Road in the Dublin community in the northeast part of the county.

Note what one wildlife official said - they occasionally get calls about cougar sightings in the region. In 35 years, “none of them has ever panned out.” The only cats known to be in this area are domestics and bobcats. The odds that it was cougar are extremely low. Consider also that it was dark and size can be difficult to determine.

Mountain lion reported in Southeastern neighborhood of D.C. - Nothing was found.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: lolz ()
Date: December 15, 2013 05:16AM

A mountain lion in DC???

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Re: Midnight big cat report in Maryland – nothing found
Posted by: Interesting... ()
Date: December 16, 2013 05:19AM

Midnight big cat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Midnight big cat report in Maryland – nothing
> found
> http://doubtfulnews.com/tag/mountain-lion/
>
> Someone called 911 at 12:54 a.m. Wednesday to
> report seeing “a cougar or a mountain lion” in
> the area of Tollgate and Singer roads, Harford
> County emergency operations spokesman Robert
> Thomas confirmed. The caller did not leave a
> name.
>
> The monitored radio broadcast reported a caller
> saw “three cougars, possibly mountain lions on
> Singer Road.”
>
> The radio dispatcher said the caller described the
> cats as being “tan” and said they had just
> crossed the road and that “one was possibly a
> cub.”
>
> Prior to Wednesday morning, the most recent
> suspected cougar encounter in Harford occurred in
> late November 2011, when a man claimed he saw what
> he believed were cougar tracks around Macton Road
> in the Dublin community in the northeast part of
> the county.
>
> Note what one wildlife official said - they
> occasionally get calls about cougar sightings in
> the region. In 35 years, “none of them has ever
> panned out.” The only cats known to be in this
> area are domestics and bobcats. The odds that it
> was cougar are extremely low. Consider also that
> it was dark and size can be difficult to
> determine.
>
> Mountain lion reported in Southeastern
> neighborhood of D.C. - Nothing was found.

So just because it took them 30 minutes or more to respond and couldn't find the mountain lion, that disproves the sighting? Don't think so.

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Concerned Taxpayers ()
Date: December 17, 2013 07:11AM

Doesn't this bother anyone that mountain lions are coming down to the city? That's pretty damn bold!

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Mountain Lions in Virginia ()
Date: December 17, 2013 10:58AM

A few months old but still relevant...

August 2013 Mountain Lions in Virginia Update
http://www.olddominionwildlife.com/2013/08/02/august-2013-mountain-lions-in-virginia-update/

According to my web stats, mountain lion sighting articles are among the most searched for and looked-at pages on this site. It’s been several months since my last update in March 2013 so here is a listing of new reports I have received. I will do a monthly update going forward.

The following new reports were received by email or via the comments on this site:

From K.C.:


In July 2012, I saw what I believe to be some sort of mountain lion-type animal at Wigwam Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was shortly before sunset and I was photographing the falls when movement at the top of the falls caught my eye. It was light brown; I originally thought it was a deer. It was standing near the top of the falls and then lowered its head and it was then clear that it was not a deer.

From Joshua:


4/12/13 @ 3am Fairfax County Parkway near NCE. Saw a cougar/mountain lion running across the street into a heavily wooded area. Was going slow enough to clearly make out that it was not a deer or a large dog.

From Charlene:


Not sure what has been seen on the property I live on in Roanoke City off Peters Creek Rd, but 2 years ago the property saw a black, cat-like creature darting into the woods not far from the dumpster that is here. Nothing else was seen until today. Again, the property manager was heading towards the back of the property and saw it in the same area as the one she saw before. She said it was definitely bigger than a house cat, was black and had a long tail. When she went to tell someone else that was on the property, he said that he was putting trash in the dumpster when he saw the very same thing. The property I live on consists of 80-some acres, 20-some being developed. There is an abundance of wildlife here. Once when I came home I spotted a herd of 10-12 deer right beside my house. So there’s plenty of food for any big cats roaming around. And yes, again, I live in the city of Roanoke, VA! I wish I had spotted the cat myself so I could give a better description. Perhaps someday soon I’ll see it for myself! But for whatever it’s worth, both of the witnesses are credible. One being a minister. I have no doubt that if they both said they saw it, they saw it.

From Ducknest:


Last year my wife was driving around a pond in Remington and saw a black cat about the size of a labrador retriever on her way to her accountant. She thought it was a dog at first but as it walked away she said it absolutely was a cat. One of our neighbors in Sumerduck just said he saw a black mountain lion as close as 50-100 ft from him. He was scared. That is why I am looking at this thread right now. Looking for possible ideas.

From Joseph H:


Headed north on 28 centerville rd in northern va, just before westfield blvd exit, open field on right…saw a mt.lion as clear as day…no question about it…wow.

From Matt B:


We were recently visiting with a college friend of my wife whose family owns about 300 rural acres near Leesburg. She assured me they have seen a mountain lion on the property on multiple occasions.

From Brandi:


In 2009 i was lying in bed at about midnight when i heard tbis scream/ growl from outside my window. At the time i lived in saltville va. it is actually on the other side of the same mountain were a previous post said he saw one in tumbling creek. i lived about 4 miles from there. after hearing the noise getting closer i woke up my fiance and we went to our bathroom to see if we could see it out the window at that time it let out an awful noise right in front of us and we slammed the window shut. i hate that we didn’t see it. the next morning our neighbor said that his chickens were missing and all he found in the yard was feathers. Other family members in the area have reported hearing the same noise at different times. a cousin of my fiance also said she heard one and that her dogs were so scared that they hid in the corner of the house crying and peed all over the floor.

From John C:


Sighting! Buckingham, VA, Saturday June the 15, approximately 4:00pm. West VACO Land Lease property “Doe Track”. My son (14) and I had been running all the trails on the 312 Acres for several hours and for a final run we wanted to make a short run back to the property line on a trail we had explored. As it turned out it was only a 150 yards or so to the property line so my son who was driving the JD Gator made a quick U-Turn and gave me a thrill ride back up the trail to the main road. As we entered the road he made a left to head back to the truck but I was looking to the right when I heard him yell, LOOK! As I turned my head all I caught was a flash of something gliding through the air just above the high grass and bushes on the edge of the road. As flash instantly replayed I saw an image that was leaping through the air like a deer but a dear has no tail? Its body was brownish somewhat like a dear but as its body stretched out into the downward side of the leap a long tail appeared high in the air. Instantly and without a second thought I blurted out, “LION”!

Although I’ve never seen a Lion in the wild, as my brain connected with the vision and my verbal expression of what I had just see spontaneously followed. All in the same moment may Son stopped the Gator, I questioned him, what was that? He replied, “I thought it was a dog but it had no nose.” I replied in astonishment, “It was a Lion!”, I thought at the same time, it couldn’t have been. I drew my 45 and shouted, go, go! As we passed the spot in the road we looked to the woods for any movement but saw none.

As we make it back to the truck I was stunned with the thought of a Lion in the woods, but then it clicked, it made perfect sense now as to why we had found virtually no signs of deer in the area. As I stilled questioned what we had seen I asked my Son what he saw just before the yelled for me to look, he explained.

“It was lying down in the road, I thought it was a dog at first but it had no nose, its face was flat”. I asked was it a deer, he replied. “If it was its nose was bashed in. I thought, no deer or dog for that matter would have be lying in the road, what then? Just like a cat to crouch down to hide.

When we left the area I stopped at a local house which backed up the property. There was a young guy there cutting the grass so I approached him to question what we had seen. I was surprised; he didn’t seem too excited when I told him about what we had just experienced. I asked if had heard for any sightings in the area. I replied that there were some rumors floating around but no one, that he knew, had ever seen a Lion.

I’m still stunned, I’ve asked my son a dozen times, did you see a tail, but no, he doesn’t recall seeing a tail??

So I’ll leave it at this, we’re not leasing the property! No deer in the area, but there is something there! It leaps like a deer and clearly in my mind’s eye, has a tail like a Lion. It has no snout or nose, not like a dog or a deer. It takes a crouched or lying/position when suddenly startled and first sees potential danger. So you take it from there, as for me, there is at least one Lion in the State of Virginia, it’s in the wild and it roams the wood lands of northern Buckingham County, VA.

From John Lutz (Director, Eastern Puma Research Network):


Repeated sightings of what could be a “wild, free-roaming cougar”, have been reported to us across northern Culpeper County, between Amissville, Washington & Chester Gap, Virginia, since May 1st.

Another region of repeated ‘mountain lion sightings” is along U.S. Rte 33, between Rawley Springs, western Rockingham Co, Va and Brandywine in eastern Pendleton Co, WV….just too many sightings by reliable witnesses, to ignore….

Is a single wild cougar roaming free across central Virginia?? That question continues to haunt this veteran cougar researcher, who has responded to dozens of citizen & professional observations since Summer 2004, when tracks were ID. Since March 2012, at least 1 PUMA has repeatedly been reported in
Chesterfield, Amelia, Surry, Sussex, Essex, Suffolk, Middlesex, Gloucester & King William Counties. Further South, motorists have reported seeing cougars along U.S. Rte 17 in North Carolina’s Great Dismal Swamp which could account for the sightings in SE Virginia’s Tidewater Counties…

From Larry S:


This morning, Mon July 8 @ about ten am my wife Diana and I were talking about nothing in particular when she said “look at that”. She was looking out the window over my shoulder and she had seen an animal running low in the woods. She was describing the animal when it again appeared retracing its path thru the trees and underbrush. Very excited now she said it was a tan colored cat, almost the same color of our Haflinger ponies. Running in long leaps and very fast..it was out of my line of sight before I could turn to see it. The net query revealed a few pictures and this site and others that confirmed her siting was not an impossible illusion. We have lived here in Shenandoah County for twenty five years and seen bear, deer innumerable, bobcats, etc. First sighting of a cougar. Along Tumbling Run a hundred yards east of I81. Glad to know they are still among us in spite of what the state may believe. As long as they don’t develop a taste for horse meat! Hope this info makes someones day.

From Scott:


My father saw a black panther near the Humpback vistitor center on the Blue
Ridge Parkway on Saturday 20 july 13.
Attachments:
firefly.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Katy Perry ()
Date: December 17, 2013 11:01AM

"Roar"


I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything

You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready 'cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

[Chorus]
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar

Now I’m floating like a butterfly
Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes
I went from zero, to my own hero

You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (HEY!)
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

[Chorus]
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You'll hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You're gonna hear me roar...

Ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar, ro-oar

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You’re gonna hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You'll hear me roar
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You're gonna hear me roar...

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Mountain Lions in Virginia ()
Date: December 17, 2013 11:08AM

Also from the same site in the comments section...


Jan

August 3, 2013 at 7:52 am


Yesterday I saw a mountain lion in Woodbridge. Here is my Facebook status with updates: Westridge Residents: I came upon a mountain lion on Knightsbridge and Eads Ct ! I notified police. Now I’m afraid to walk back home!! Later: Just got back from my walk…I called police as I was walking, stopped at the Assoc. HQ (the guy didn’t believe me), and updated my FB status. It was clearly a mtn. lion. I clearly saw it lying on the walking path ready to pounce. I walked over to the road instead of on the path…then into the yards across from the path to make the call. As I was doing this it got up and walked down the path across Eads then back up. I kept heading toward the school. I clearly saw it’s long-ish, low-to-the-ground body, swishing tail, and prance-like walk. Not a dog. I thought people would at least like to know, but the maintenance guy at HOA said if I took my truck down now, it’d be gone. What’s the use? I also remember 10 yrs or so ago the Mary Hill report and the subsequent capture. Eerily, earlier this morning I took my 3 dogs for a walk and my 1 dog froze just at that spot…in fact he would no longer walk and I literally had to carry him home, since dragging wasn’t working. Now I think he must have sensed or smelled the lion. We do have a lot of deer roaming around here…just yesterday I saw 2 on the other side of my fence in my neighbor’s yard, and over the weekend we saw a mother with 2 fawns right in the middle of the road near our house…they went behind another neighbor’s yard. Mtn. lions apparently hunt deer…it is probably looking for food. Now that so much of their natural territory is ‘built up’ we may have more and more sightings of things like this…
A friend suggested it was a dog with a lion cut…
It was definitely NOT a Labradoodle and it did not have a ‘lion cut’/ I understand why people may have a hard time believing me. It ‘pranced’ when it walked, (actually, it kept kind of low to the ground and it’s body kind of moved from side to side with each step),,,it’s legs were wide and short in comparison to its long body size, it’s tail swooshed from side to side– it looked exactly like a female lion.’…there was no ‘mane I don’t need to try to convince anyone–just wanted to put out the word. I’m still stunned that I didn’t get a photo but I was more concerned about reporting it. (I had my iphone in a case on my arm with headphones on playing music. I did not even take the phone out until I was in a yard across the street, after I was far enough away from it that I felt safe enough to make a call. Taking a photo was the last thing on my mind).
Here’s my Facebook address if you want to see the whole conversation:
https://www.facebook.com/plantingnatives








Jan

August 3, 2013 at 7:55 am


Additionally, another friend and her daughter were running on trails through the woods earlier that morning and heard loud, piercing screams so awful that she called the police! We Googled the sounds mountain lions make and it clearly sounds like a woman screaming! I don’t think that’s a coincidence, do you?!

Thanks,
Jan








Melody Windsor

August 5, 2013 at 1:48 am


Sylvatus, VA – August 4, 2013
Just today a friend came to visit and was shaken when she got to our house. She said at the top of our 1/4 mile driveway a huge black cat ran in front of the car from the trees into the field of tall grass. She said she did a double-take cause it was so huge. She said it was a panther and that she saw one in Ivanhoe a few years ago too. We told her there is a black dog we see sometimes and she said it was no dog. We told her there are bears around here… she still insisted it was not a bear, but was a panther.








Andrew H

August 8, 2013 at 2:02 pm


I had Heard a few weeks ago from a local In the Mt Rogers area that a Panther had been spotted on his game trail camera.








John A. Lutz

August 13, 2013 at 11:09 am


Since March 2013, more new sightings of pumas/mountain lions and panthers have been reported in Shenandoah National Park and along Blue Ridge Parkway & Skyline Drive, then in the previous 15 years. Such incidents are probably the results of SNP Officials listing the possibility for visiting tourists to actually see an American Lion within the park boundaries, after such data began appearing on the n Web-page of Shenandoah National Park. Sightings of big CATS are NOT new in Shenandoah National Park. The 1st CONFIRMED tracks of a wild cougar were found in 1959. I Would like to hear from local citizens or out-of-state visitors, who have seen/reported a wild lion in SNP or anywhere in Virginia since the 1940s…if you do NOT wish to go public with your incident, send it to: epuma@frontier.com








Steve

August 13, 2013 at 4:03 pm


Thank you all for your comments. Jan, I see this write-up describes the Westridge sighting: http://www.insidenova.com/news/local/lake_ridge/is-a-mountain-lion-roaming-westridge/article_9327198a-fea5-11e2-9814-0019bb2963f4.html

Did you take it down from your FB page?








Joe Smith

August 20, 2013 at 6:29 am


I had several reported sightings by neighbors two years ago north of Keezletown,VA. The sightings occurred over a few months period. After that there have been no more sightings that I’ve heard of. One sighting was what appeared to be a mother and two cubs. All of the neigbors have lived in the area all their lives and I consider them to be very reliable,experienced outdoors people. I had several cameras in the area but never got any pics.








Michelle Natale

September 16, 2013 at 8:26 pm


September 16,2013 9 pm..Cross junction, Va

I was driving home tonight and I saw a long tawny animal with a long tail sneak into the woods as it crossed the road. This is a mountainous area.
It was neither a deer, nor a fox. It had a long tail and a substantial hind rump.
I will post again if I see any more activity.








Paul C

October 3, 2013 at 12:21 pm


Vienna, VA. Had a mountain lion in the back yard field of my townhouse in March.

My girlfriend and I both could see it walking beside the fence 30 yards from us. It was clearly not a dog because of its long tail. It was a light brown/blonde color. Low to the ground but definetly a thick animal. There was no doubt to either of us of what we were seeing. I proceeded to call Police and Animal Control only to be told that Mountain Lions/ Cougars do not live in this area.

This was a big cat no doubt we got beasts rolling around NOVA.








Rick Wagner

October 10, 2013 at 2:45 pm


There are no black cougars. There has never,ever been a black cougar recorded in North America. Any black animal seen will not be a cougar. I have followed this subject for many years. I believe the cats are here. They are not black, though. We do have a LOT of black bears, I see them fairly often in the boondocks.








Dewain Narron

November 13, 2013 at 6:13 am


my son on Sunday the 10th was on a trail in Surry Va just outside of Claremont Va when he saw what he believes to be a cougar about the height of a German Shepard walk across a path it was a was from him he said the tail appeared to be as long as the body it was brown with some black on the tail.

Options: ReplyQuote
November 2013 Mountain Lions in Virginia Update
Posted by: Nov 2013 sightings ()
Date: December 17, 2013 01:01PM

November 2013 Mountain Lions in Virginia Update
http://www.olddominionwildlife.com/2013/11/30/november-2013-mountain-lions-in-virginia-update/

November 30, 2013
Latest Reports

Terry writes:
On Sunday night, November 3rd, what I thought was my neighbor’s golden retriever came bounding up the hill toward me. When it closed in to about 15 yards I think my large my dogs scared it and it disappeared up a tree. It was not a dog at all; I believe it to have been a cougar. Live in Centreville off Rte 29


Dewain writes:
My son on Sunday the 10th was on a trail in Surry Va just outside of Claremont Va when he saw what he believes to be a cougar about the height of a German Shepard walk across a path it was a was from him he said the tail appeared to be as long as the body it was brown with some black on the tail.


Kendra writes:
I know black mountain lions are supposedly rare, but, I saw one in Front Royal, VA in July of this year. I leaped from a high, heavily forested median on Route 66 heading towards the Rt 66/Rt 81 intersection, like it was trying to cross the highway to get to the forest on the other side. It hit the vehicle two cars in front of me.

I originally thought it was a bear and then a big dog but the rippling muscles and black shiny fur were unlike anything I had ever seen on a bear or a dog. It was way too muscular to be a dog and had a long tail, like a cougar. The car it hit pulled over to inspect the damage, as did a few other cars. After mulling it over during the rest of my trip, I looked up photos online and definitely know it was a panther, cougar, mountain lion, or whatever you’d like to call it.

Brian writes:
I saw one while fishing Irish creek in rockbridge co. two years ago. scared the carp our of me. there have been numerous sightings over the past year in the area


Carol writes:
Haven’t seen one, but have heard the screams late at night. Must be a mountain lion. I am in Wise County also.

Discussion

Have you seen a cougar/mountain lion in Virginia? If so, please describe in the comments!

Do you think mountain lions exist in Virginia? If so, do you think they are:
1.Exotic pets that escaped or have been turned loose?
2.Western mountain lions that have migrated?
3.A native population that has always been here?
4.A combination of the above?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: saw one ()
Date: December 17, 2013 01:19PM

A couple years ago one ran across the road in front of us, on Route 33 between Elkton and Skyline Drive (Rockingham County I believe). It happened on a straight stretch in a low-lying area. It was about the height of a large dog, with a longer body, and had a long tail. It My whole family saw it run/bound across the road from left to right. There was absolutely no doubt it was not a domestic cat, deer, bear, dog, bobcat, nor even a duck.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: November 2013 Mountain Lions in Virginia Update
Posted by: Too Close for Comfort ()
Date: December 17, 2013 01:37PM

Nov 2013 sightings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Terry writes:
> On Sunday night, November 3rd, what I thought was
> my neighbor’s golden retriever came bounding up
> the hill toward me. When it closed in to about 15
> yards I think my large my dogs scared it and it
> disappeared up a tree. It was not a dog at all; I
> believe it to have been a cougar. Live in
> Centreville off Rte 29

A mountain lion was spotted in Centreville near Rt 29? Jesus that's close.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: November 2013 Mountain Lions in Virginia Update
Posted by: Bow Hunter ()
Date: February 04, 2014 07:40AM

While mountain lions might be extinct in Virginia, there still could be a big cat in the area. There are thousands of big cats which are being kept as pets by people. Some fool might have thought it was cool to have one of these as a pet and when it got too big to control he let it loose. This cat could be living in the woods and feeding on all the deer.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Hunter Call ()
Date: February 04, 2014 07:47AM

I don't know anything about what was seen in Westridge, but I do know there's been a large cat in the county in the last couple years. A co-worker who lives down near Helwig found tracks on his driveway after a rainstorm, so the tracks were made by muddy feet. He photographed them, up close with a ruler and from a distance so as to ascertain the gait. Clearly, clearly, this was the track of a big cat. Each paw covered three inches, and the gait was distinctive of a cat strolling leisurely.

We sent to the photos to PWC animal control and the state game warden, and both came back saying they look like big dog tracks.

Eventually I learned why. The Eastern Cougar is extinct... and if it isn't, the state would have to devote resources to preserving another large endangered species. That's why there's an institutional bias in the face of any evidence against cougar sightings, which happen a lot more frequently than the state claims, and which is why websites have sprung up (to provide counter documentation).

In all honesty, I think the Eastern Cougar probably is extinct. Here's the kicker. The state guy, after assuring me a few times that in his expert judgment the tracks were canine, said in an afterthought "besides, if it is a cougar, it's probably an escaped pet." He went on to say there are more pet cougars (the Western Cougar) than most people realize, and probably three or more in a county like Prince William. So that seems to be the most likely thing people are seeing.

There is a zoo up in Thurmont, MD called the Catoctin Refuge of something like that which has a cougar that was a former pet in the city of Baltimore. I heard the story from one of the zoo workers. It was a guy who told an apartment manager he had a "cat," and paid the pet deposit before moving in. While in that apartment, neighbors complained about noises. The apartment manager goes to see the guy, notices the cougar in the living room, and asks what that heck is that. The guy just says, "my cat." Needless to say, city animal control was called and the animal ended up in that zoo.

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December 2013 Update: Mountain Lion Photographed!
Posted by: Oh really??? ()
Date: February 04, 2014 08:27AM

No evidence huh? How about this...?

December 2013 Update: Mountain Lion Photographed!
http://www.olddominionwildlife.com/2013/12/31/december-2013-update-mountain-lion-photographed/

Photographic Evidence

In addition to several new sighting reports (listed below), this month I received a photograph from Jeffrey M. who writes:

I live in Montebello VA, just up the Parkway from Sherando/Love. I have a photo of a Mountain Lion during daylight taken back in October 2013… The Parkway is protected federal land with thousands of acres of no hunting pressure. @ the people who say the dogs run during deer season… Not in Nelson County. Most dog hunters train their dogs for a specific animal deer/bear/coon/etc, so they wont track a Mt. Lion unless they were trained to do so.

In subsequent correspondence, he added:


Mountain lion all the way. I am licensed through the state of Va for trapping. This far from a house cat. Neighbors have seen it too.

The photo looks good to me and this appears to be long-awaited photographic evidence of a mountain lion presence in Virginia. Questions may remain about the origins of the cat (escaped/released exotic pet, a migrant from the West, or a remaining Eastern native), but we should be closer now to an acknowledgement of mountain lions roaming in Virginia.

Other Reports

From Jeff:


i just saw a mountain lion on providence rd in abingdon va

From Chance:


I’ve seen, on many different occasions, black cats here in the mountains of Wise and Russell counties. We’ve found several baby calves and deer 10 feet up in trees half eaten. No other animal would do this except for a cat. My grandfather has video footage of four of the animals in a field 100 yards behind his house. They let out a scream that resembles a woman screaming that will put chills on your neck. They are slick black and have a long tail that is as long as their body. Like I said I’ve seen them on many occasions. People don’t want to believe it but they’re here.

From Steve:


I think I spotted a Mountain lion in a wooded strip in Mclean-Falls Church, Va. The cat was moving through a wooded strip between housing areas heading away from Great Falls Rd towards the woods/park in the McLean Province Circle area. The cat was seen at 11:50am to 12:00pm on Tuesday 10 December 2013 as the heavy snow fall was starting to let up. The cat was moving along a deer trail between the housing areas heading towards the park area. The cat was circa 3 feet long with a tail nearly the same length. It was clearly several time larger than a domestic house cat. It was not a bobcat as it had a full tail and was a dusty solid color. After moving through a brief clearing, the cat moved very quickly and stayed on a woods path rather than moving along the cleared yard areas. Several head of deer were seen moving along that same area the day before. I understand that Mountain Lions are supposed to be extinct in the East but this was clearly not a Bobcat nor a house cat. First impression was that it might have been a Coyote but it was very clearly a cat and a little larger than a Coyote.

From John L:


A number of reports between Manasssas Battlefield, along Occoquan River to Lake Jackson, have 2 witnesses, 1, a retired Biologist, who got a fairly-good look at this intruder, is now firmly convinced the animal is a stray cougar, possibly wandered down from Shenandoah Mountains or Shenandoah National Park. Other recent sightings in NW Albermarle County and SW Greene County…
Attachments:
IMG_7221992156825.jpg

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Re: November 2013 Mountain Lions in Virginia Update
Posted by: FdpeV ()
Date: February 24, 2014 10:42AM

click here to listen to the police dispatch from last August...

https://soundcloud.com/#pwcscannerbums/pd-lion

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: not sure of that logic ()
Date: February 24, 2014 11:49AM

Hunter Call Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
>
> Eventually I learned why. The Eastern Cougar is
> extinct... and if it isn't, the state would have
> to devote resources to preserving another large
> endangered species. That's why there's an
> institutional bias in the face of any evidence
> against cougar sightings, which happen a lot more
> frequently than the state claims, and which is why
> websites have sprung up (to provide counter
> documentation).
>

I'm not sure I understand your claim of "institutional bias"...if I were on the "animal squad" or involved with wildlife, even a game warden, wouldn't I want more and more animals to protect, or monitor, or study, thereby protecting my job and possibly increasing my budget?

For example, if I were on the "vice squad" or anything else like that, wouldn't it be music to my ears to hear that vice is all over the place, thus, ensuring my employment and perhaps increasing the department budget?

Think of it the other way...if vice was non-existent or perhaps made legal, wouldn't that put me and my pals on the squad out of business or cut the heck out of our budget?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: FheYh ()
Date: February 24, 2014 12:23PM

not sure of that logic Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not sure I understand your claim of
> "institutional bias"...if I were on the "animal
> squad" or involved with wildlife, even a game
> warden, wouldn't I want more and more animals to
> protect, or monitor, or study, thereby protecting
> my job and possibly increasing my budget?
>
> For example, if I were on the "vice squad" or
> anything else like that, wouldn't it be music to
> my ears to hear that vice is all over the place,
> thus, ensuring my employment and perhaps
> increasing the department budget?
>
> Think of it the other way...if vice was
> non-existent or perhaps made legal, wouldn't that
> put me and my pals on the squad out of business or
> cut the heck out of our budget?

Oh no, I think the workload would increase. Those animals would probably be protected right? Most park service jobs are considered "Cush" jobs. So I wouldn't see them looking for more work to do.

Options: ReplyQuote
Is this pic evidence of mountain lion in Virginia?
Posted by: Pic of Mountain Lion? ()
Date: February 25, 2014 07:07AM

Is this pic evidence of mountain lion in Virginia?

THE OUTDOOR NOTEBOOK – The Franklin News Post.
http://doubtfulnews.com/2011/12/mt-lion-v/

Edsel Edwards, a long-time resident of Sandy Level, has always believed there are mountain lions in this area.

In fact, Edwards recalls his late grandfather, H.H. Edwards, telling him about an encounter he had with a cougar as a teenager.

Edwards said his son, Dan, who died in 1997, reported two sightings of a mountain lion between the Edwards’ house and Smith Mountain Dam.


“We don’t need any of these mountain lions or cougars in this county but the picture my camera took proves without any doubt they are here,” Edwards said.

Tip: The Bigfoot Forums

Uh. I don’t know what this is. It’s not clear enough to tell. Could be a domestic cat, could be a dog, could be a mountain lion. There’s no scale so one can’t be sure. I’d like to see tracks confirmed and, of course, a body or daytime photo.
Attachments:
Mt lion.png

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: NiggerPlease ()
Date: February 25, 2014 09:32PM

Did it look like this?
Attachments:
image.jpg

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Re: Is a mountain lion roaming Westridge?
Posted by: Lolz ()
Date: February 26, 2014 08:41AM

NiggerPlease Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did it look like this?

LOL!

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is this pic evidence of mountain lion in Virginia?
Posted by: hmCxx ()
Date: March 29, 2014 04:36PM

Pic of Mountain Lion? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is this pic evidence of mountain lion in
> Virginia?
>
> THE OUTDOOR NOTEBOOK – The Franklin News Post.
> http://doubtfulnews.com/2011/12/mt-lion-v/
>
> Edsel Edwards, a long-time resident of Sandy
> Level, has always believed there are mountain
> lions in this area.
>
> In fact, Edwards recalls his late grandfather,
> H.H. Edwards, telling him about an encounter he
> had with a cougar as a teenager.
>
> Edwards said his son, Dan, who died in 1997,
> reported two sightings of a mountain lion between
> the Edwards’ house and Smith Mountain Dam.
>
>
> “We don’t need any of these mountain lions or
> cougars in this county but the picture my camera
> took proves without any doubt they are here,”
> Edwards said.
>
> Tip: The Bigfoot Forums
>
> Uh. I don’t know what this is. It’s not clear
> enough to tell. Could be a domestic cat, could be
> a dog, could be a mountain lion. There’s no
> scale so one can’t be sure. I’d like to see
> tracks confirmed and, of course, a body or daytime
> photo.

Hard to say if that's a mountain lion or not, might be a Bobcat.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Is this pic evidence of mountain lion in Virginia?
Posted by: Trapper ()
Date: April 12, 2014 04:58AM

I read something about a mountain lion sighting in Winchester recently, but I can't seem to find the article anywhere.

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