Mountain Lion

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Maddy

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Does anyone have any info on the mountain lion siting in Acton MA :eek:
Someone at work yesterday who lives out that way said that a woman's baby cried and woke her up. She then heard a very,very loud growling noise "like a lion." When she looked out her window there was a very large mountain lion on her property killing a deer! She then called police who arrived and witnessed the event. I am told that they put up really big signs warning of "mountain lion in the area" and warning joggers, bikers, not to go out, etc.
When I heard this I could only think of the book "Beast in the Garden". Excellent read. It makes you wonder if we are encroaching on their habitat and they are now at our back door. The authorities in Boulder denied that there was a real problem for a good long time until it came to a grizzly ending.
There were lots and lots of serious warnings that were not taken seriously. Pets being killed, sitings on near homes, etc.
Are wildlife experts still denying that these big fella's live out here?
It appears that there is no doubt that this was the real thing.
I recall the thread about lions sited in the Daks, the photographer who saw one at Glen Ellis Falls at dawn, etc.
Would love to hear from anyone who has current info on this subject.
 
wild cats in Bellingham?

This summer I was visiting my Mom in Bellingham (MA) and at around 9:30 - 10:00 at night we heard a shriek/scream that was clearly a small animal (rabbit?) meeting a ghastly end in her back yard. As the shrieking waned we heard a snarling/growling sound that didn't really sound like a domestic dog and there are few dogs in her area anyways. The whole thing took about 30 seconds. We didn't have a flashlight and when I went out in the morning I did not see any sign of a kill, although certainly one took place. There were no tracks, scat, or anything else in the area. We wondered if it might have been a bobcat taking a rabbit. Sounds like mountain lion is not out of the question?
-veg
 
Acton views

Wow, am I the only one who is feeling the impulse to get in my car and go over to Acton for some hiking and stalking. We should have enough snow for easy tracking at some point in the next couple of days. Not that I am suggesting this would be a wise thing to do.

Does anyone know if authorities are actively trying to capture or kill this beautiful wild cat?
 
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I think it may become easier to track this animal once we get snow on the ground. I remember back a while there was a cat in Beverly, MA. Officials never caught a glimps, but there were civilian sitings and a slaughtered deer found. I wonder, since these cats are nolonger naturally found here, if it is the same cat. It would be interesting if it continued to migrate, maybe into the whites, it would probably never be caught until it's own death.
 
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At the risk of sounding like a broken record, my wife & i saw one up close and personal about 5 years ago very early one morning after a wicked snow storm the night before - at bottom of Glen Boulder/Ellis Trail. She photo'd the tracks and the cat w a disposable camera but it didn't come out too well. But we were there and very, very scared 'cause it just sat there studying us as we walked slowly backwards to the truck. It was w/in fifty yards of us and there was no mistaking it. It was quite skinny, almost sickly looking.
 
In recent years there have been credible sightings in Washington, NH and Antrim, NH as well as other sightings in Southern NH. Last I knew, NH Fish & Game was denying there were any mountain lions in NH. If it's true, why did they need to revise a statute in 1991 making it illegal to kill a mountain lion in NH except in self-defence. :eek:
 
It's called the "don't scare the tourists" theory. BTW, we have no allgators over 6 feet in Fla. either. (but, ... i know ehere there are 16-18 footers :eek: ...)
 
Cool info.

In 1997 there was a CONFIRMED Mountain Lion (by DNA analysis of scat) in Quabbin Reservior (30-40 miles away I think). Seems pretty clear that there are at least a few out there for certain in the NE.

The -EASTERN COUGAR NET- is a pretty cool website, with some interesting information on the subject.
 
I was speaking to a retired Mass State trooper last night about the sightings and he said that Mass Wildlife department and the state would never admit it, but back a number of years ago they transported cougars to this area and set them free in Quabbin to manage the deer population around the watershed.

I have a feeling it is an old wive's tale, but since I was hiking through there Saturday with my 4 year old, and will go back soon, I will keep him closeby.
 
Now You Tell Me...

Me and the kids were hiking in Conservation Land about a mile from that siting yesterday!!

Actually, would have been very cool to see one, but hopefully we wouldn't look like dessert. :eek:
 
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Mountain Lion in New Brunswick

The presence of a mountain lion in New Brunswick (Fundy National Park) was confirmed a few weeks ago. DNA analysis of fur was the confirming factor.

This was the first evidence of mountain lions in Atlantic Canada since the 1930s.
 
We speak of DNA analysis. I am assuming that it would be a simple PCR/elctrophorisis. What sequence are they looking for and what primers are used to isolate it? That would be great to get a kit of primers for new england wild life so any hair or stool could be analyzed.
 
Cougar website

Upon reading your post, I checked a reputable web site for cougar sightings. No recent sighting was shown for Acton, MA.

For your information, you can find out much more about cougars and sightings by going to "ww.easterncougarnet.org".

Hope this is useful to you.

Maddy said:
Does anyone have any info on the mountain lion siting in Acton MA :eek:
Someone at work yesterday who lives out that way said that a woman's baby cried and woke her up. She then heard a very,very loud growling noise "like a lion." When she looked out her window there was a very large mountain lion on her property killing a deer! She then called police who arrived and witnessed the event. I am told that they put up really big signs warning of "mountain lion in the area" and warning joggers, bikers, not to go out, etc.
When I heard this I could only think of the book "Beast in the Garden". Excellent read. It makes you wonder if we are encroaching on their habitat and they are now at our back door. The authorities in Boulder denied that there was a real problem for a good long time until it came to a grizzly ending.
There were lots and lots of serious warnings that were not taken seriously. Pets being killed, sitings on near homes, etc.
Are wildlife experts still denying that these big fella's live out here?
It appears that there is no doubt that this was the real thing.
I recall the thread about lions sited in the Daks, the photographer who saw one at Glen Ellis Falls at dawn, etc.
Would love to hear from anyone who has current info on this subject.
 
Cougars in Quabbin

I wouldn't worry about your 4 year old and a cougar - especially during the daytime.

FYI, the last confirmed sighting of a cougar at Quabbin (and the ONLY one in MA) was in April, 1997. Check it out at the website listed in my thread under this main posting.

Rick said:
I was speaking to a retired Mass State trooper last night about the sightings and he said that Mass Wildlife department and the state would never admit it, but back a number of years ago they transported cougars to this area and set them free in Quabbin to manage the deer population around the watershed.

I have a feeling it is an old wive's tale, but since I was hiking through there Saturday with my 4 year old, and will go back soon, I will keep him closeby.
 
Bolivia said:
I wouldn't worry about your 4 year old and a cougar - especially during the daytime.

I don't think I'd worry all the much about it either, but statistically children may be at a higher risk. I'd be cautious with kids (leaving them unattended and such), but certainly wouldn't alter any hiking plans with them as a result.

There is an interesting -PAPER- on the subject of cougar attacks. Interesting reading and if you scroll down to the Victims section, it will give you some victimology stuff. There is also good info in pre & post attack behavior if your into that sorta stuff.

The info should be taken in context, as there hasn't been a human/cougar encounter in these parts in, well 100 years anyway :). It has been a steadily increasing problem out west though (i.e. Beast in the Garden).

Enjoy.
 
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Bolivia....check the Boston Globe article listed on page 1 of this forum. It states that it was seen not once but twice and it also lists other towns nearby. People I work with live in the area of these sitings.
I would love to see one but not up close and personal!
This is really exciting but also a little scary.
It will be interesting to see how this plays itself out.
 
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