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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2014 11:06AM by chuckhoffmann.

Possible mountain lion sighted twice near Fairfax elementary school
http://www.insidenova.com/headlines/possible-mountain-lion-sighted-twice-near-fairfax-elementary-school/article_e635c45c-3a16-11e4-abe4-77b9cfb5ec32.html


Fairfax County police are stepping up patrols and setting up cameras after two possible mountain lion sightings this week near an elementary school outside Alexandria.

In a news release issued Thursday night, police said that over the past 48 hours, animal control received two reports of a large cat, possibly a mountain lion, near Riverside Elementary School on Old Mount Vernon Road. Both sightings were in the early morning hours.

Animal control officers searched the area both times, but found no evidence of the animal, the release said.

In both cases, the cat was described as a sand or orange color, about the size of a large dog with a tail equal to the length of its body.

State game officials have said they don’t believe there are any mountain lions – also called cougars or Eastern pumas -- left in Virginia. But last August, there were two reported mountain lion sightings in Prince William County, one in Westridge outside Lake Ridge and the other at Prince William Forest Park.

In the Westridge case, a woman walking her dog saw a large tan cat with a long tail along a trail through the neighborhood. The night before, another neighbor hear loud screams in the woods, similar to those a mountain lion typically makes.

Less than two weeks later, a camper at Prince William Forest Park reported seeing a mountain lion outside a dining hall.

In all three cases, police searched the areas and found nothing.

Virginia’s mountain lions, known as the Eastern puma, were once on the endangered species list. In 2011, they were declared extinct. But since then, there have been persistent sightings through much of the state.

“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 last year. He was not immediately available for comment Thursday night.

In Fairfax, police said they are working with the department’s wildlife management specialist to set up cameras around the elementary school where the cat was seen. Animal control officers will also be on patrol though the night and early Friday in case the animal is still in the area.

“Teachers and parents at this school have been made aware and are taking precautions to ensure that children are kept safe,” the news release said.

Fairfax police say anyone who sees the animal should get to a safe location and call them at 703-691-2131.

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)
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Thanks for the repeat thread, you stupid fuck

Ugh the giant caveman Wrote:
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> Thanks for the repeat thread, you stupid fuck

You're welcome low brow.

There have been reports over the past few years, but farther out...

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

A cougars in our county? I thought these cats were suppose to be in the other side of America. Lol

Anonymous2014 Wrote:
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> A cougars in our county? I thought these cats were
> suppose to be in the other side of America. Lol

Hunters have been reporting them for years up in the mountains nearby, but no one believed them...Until now.
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I heard that the cougars were recently spotted at Clyde's in Reston Town Center.

I saw a Mountain Lion dart out of the woodline as it chased down a deer near the Leesburg Airport in 2007.
Was with three other guys leaving the National Guard building on Sycolin Road.

These sightings shouldn't be a big surprise, considering key factors of deer overpopulation across much of eastern US and modern-era restrictive hunting policies.

Get your google-fu on - you'll discover that from Maine, New Hampshire, NJ and PA on down to Florida, mountain lions are here but just about every state government is in denial about it.

I think it's great! At least some carnivore is out there taking down some of the deer I can't hunt when I want to!

reports are true
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At first we heard about a cougar spotted near Mt Vernon High School. And then yesterday, there was a report of two apes seen near the school. Animal Control and police did see the apes right outside the woods, but ascertained that it was only two Mt Vernon students skipping class.

With just about everyone on the planet in possession of a cell phone, it's hard to believe no one has taken a picture of this animal.

4WxH9 Wrote:
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> With just about everyone on the planet in
> possession of a cell phone, it's hard to believe
> no one has taken a picture of this animal.


Because it didn't happen.

Move along folks go get your EBT Wrote:
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> 4WxH9 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With just about everyone on the planet in
> > possession of a cell phone, it's hard to
> believe
> > no one has taken a picture of this animal.
>
>
> Because it didn't happen.

Do we know who reported it?