DEP and Law Enforcement Forums We have a very unique opportunity to interact directly with members of the CT DEP and CT Law Enforcement divisions. Save the joking for the other forums. If you’re going to use these forums, be clear and respectful. Please be patient when waiting for a reply. Don’t clutter a thread with too many questions that are off the main subject. If you have a question, make an effort to search the forums to be sure you’re not repeating something that has already been discussed. Also, don’t expect an answer to every single question posted. The agents do their best, but they may decide not to answer a question for a variety of reasons. Finally, these forums are designed to allow DEP officials to respond. It’s OK if you have valid, factual information you want to share, but please don’t clutter the forum by posting "best guesses" to the questions being posed before someone from the DEP even has a chance to reply.
EnCon Police Moderator
Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 3899
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"....
The Caracal has been observed a number of times in the wild here in Ct. even by some of our DEP personnel. These are released animals. Other than the ears and the fact that they are smaller than a full grown Cougar you could easily mis-identify one of these Caracals for a Cougar.
EnCon Police Moderator
Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 3899
Thanks for the post Buck - if you go to one of the other pages on that site http://www.juliesjungle.com/species.php this is a list of what they sell there - note the Canadian Lynx. Take a look at some of the "jungle cats" offered on this link: http://www.arnoldsexotics.com/jungle_cats.htm Do you think seeing one of them in the wild would make you think you may have seen a mountain lion - particularly from a distance?
If you Google caracals for sale, or exotic pets, you would be amazed at the number of species available. Any of these that are considered dangerous animals are illegal in Connecticut.
In other states, Florida I believe is one of them, you can own just about any type of animal you want. There are people down there who own mountain lions and black panthers. Do they sell them to people in Connecticut even though it's illegal to possess them here?
We had a guy in West Haven last year who got bit by his pet King Cobra while he was giving it a bath....along with West Haven PD, we took an alligator, copperhead and African Rhinoceros Viper (supposed to have the 2nd largest set of fangs of all poisonous snakes) out of his house too. They were all illegal to possess in CT, but he had them.
keymanrick
Member
Registered: 02/01/04
Posts: 198
Loc: Coventry
Encon you are right about the gen public not knowing about wildlife and trying to guess what it might be. I was at the beach this year and there were a bunch of women and kids looking at somthing and I went over to see what it was and to my suprise it was a bluefish. No one new what kind of fish it was or that it was even table fare.I think we as sportsmen need to teach people about our wildlife.I gave a nice little lesson on blues that day and had a lot of smiles and thanks after that.
Harbinger of impending piscatorial doom --------------------------------------------- WHEN THE FLOAT DROPS THE BULL SH*T STOPS!!!! --------------------------------------------- "The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope."
-- John Buchan -----------------------------------------------
Originally posted by alanr: Rumor of course, but I heard that a cow was found partially consumed by a mountain lion in Woodstock and that it was confirmed by the DEP. I see nothing in the news. Can the DEP comment on this?
Why doesn't somebody follow the CT Freedom of Information law and make a written request to the DEP, or drop a line to the Hartford Courant and ask them to follow up on any "rumor" of a cover up or non-disclosure. If DEP complicity doesn't exist, then whatever slaughtered the cattle hasn't been officially confirmed and anything is possible, right? A FOI request should at least be able to determine if the case was investigated by the DEP...
Quote:
Sun - am I correct in assuming that your implication is that I am lying to or misleading forum members or covering up something?
Dear Encon Police, No sir, you are not correct. Quite clearly, I was responding to alanr about hearsay involving the DEP as a department, not you as an individual. HE asked why a rumored incident that HE heard was confirmed by the DEP hadn't been, according to HIM, reported in the news. I simply and clearly stated that IF no [proof of] DEP complicity exists [through an FOI request], then anything is possible. By anything, I meant whether a mountain lion or any other loose exotic or wild animal instigated an attack [or not]. Lastly, I never stated, personally assumed or intended to insinuate that you had or would be privy to any official knowledge of the alleged cattle attack alanr was refering to and that's why I mentioned the FOI request all. The purpose of my post was simply informational, nothing more & nothing less. Peace.
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