posted October 31, 2005 09:29
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Just so I am not accused of any more complicity, coverups or non-disclosure by "Sun" I ran all the mountain lion sighting reports on our computer system when I got to work this morning.

Since 1/1/1998 (when we instituted a computer aided dispatch system) we have had a total of 69 "mountain lion" sightings. This includes the period of 1/1/05 through 10/31/05 when we had a total of 20 reported "mountain lion" sightings. Of all of these sightings (1/1/98 - 10/31/05) none were confirmed with any photographs, identifiable paw prints or any other evidence to establish that the animal seen was in fact a mountain lion and in fact in Connecticut.

One record was for a caller reported seeing a mountain lion that was 5 feet tall and weighed 150 lbs. (Let's see, deer are about 5 ft tall, weight about 150lbs and have medium brown fur??) Another reported a mountain lion with a bushy brown tail. One report was for a deer killed by a mountain lion. When it was investigated it was determined that the deer had been killed by coyotes - based on the evidence at the kill site.

We had a videotaped sighting reported in 2003. The caller said it was a mountain lion and had a long tail. When our officer viewed the tape it showed a bobcat, not a mountain lion.

Another caller in 2003 reported a medium brown cat with a long tail about the size of a small german shepard. (See my link to the Caracal - about the size of a small german shepard)

In 2004 the following was received, Animal sounded like a cougar, was approximately 2-3 ft tall and 3-4 ft long. Animal was face to face with a bobcat, then ran from the scene when complainant went outside to investigate. Have any of you ever seen a mountain lion and bobcat stand face to face? Fight maybe, the bobcat run away probably, but face to face?

Complainant saw mountain lion in back yard. Animal went back into woods towards wildlife sanctuary. Complainant stated the cat had stubby tail and weighed approximately 200 lbs.

We also had a "confirmed" sighting earlier this year where the complainant produced a photograph of the mountain lion he saw. He later admitted that he downloaded the photo from the internet to show his girlfriend what a mountain lion looked like.

The vast majority of the sightings were people seeing an animal walking through their yard, across the road or in the woods with the only description being "mountain lion". No proof, no photographs, no pawprints, no scat, no hair. How many members of the general public who do not fish do you think could tell the difference between a striped bass, largemouth bass and trout? To them it's a fish. A dogfish to them is a shark - so if they see a small dogfish at the beach then you get a rash of shark sightings reported. Is a dogfish a shark? kind of sort of, same general shape, it's gray and has teeth....is a large yellow tabby or bobcat a mountain lion?

Finally, according to our records, we (EnCon Police/DEP Emergency Dispatch)have not received any complaints or calls regarding cattle being killed by a mountain lion or any other animal in Woodstock. The closest was on 5/20/03 in Mansfield where a farmer's cattle were being chased by COYOTES.

As I have stated earlier in this thread and in many others - is it possible that there are mountain lions in CT - yes - but no one has been able to provide any proof to date. When someone produces evidence then I will be able to say that we have a confirmed mountain lion in CT.

Until then it is "a rumor", "my friend said", "I heard", "I know"....