[güttsfükk]

March 8, 2009
By DAVE GATHMAN

The largest cat-family predator found in the United States is an animal that confusingly goes by at least five different names -- mountain lion, cougar, panther, catamount and puma. All are the same species, and they usually are colored with a mixture of tan, orange and brown. Once common throughout the United States, they are now found in large numbers only in four regions -- the mountain West and Pacific coast, the Dakotas, the Appalachians and Florida. But they have been seen in increasing numbers in recent years in Wisconsin. Their favorite food is deer.

This April 14, 2008, image shows a cougar shot dead by a Chicago police officer in an alley in Chicago, according to a Belmont District officer.

In Illinois, the cougar officially has been extinct since the 1800s. But three have been killed in the state since 2000, the most recent a 150-pound cougar that was seen on a farm in south-central Wisconsin in January 2008 and was shot to death by police on a residential street in Chicago last April 14, after apparently walking some 200 miles in four months. Many other alleged sightings are reported on the Web site Illinois Cougar Watch.com>>Documenting the return of cougars to Illinois.

If the mysterious beast is black, it most likely is not a cougar. According to a Wikipedia article, "There are no authenticated cases of truly melanistic (black) cougars. None have ever been photographed or shot in the wild and none have been bred. There is wide consensus among breeders and biologists that the animal does not exist."

However, biologist Ray Eisbrenner of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources notes that the Plato mystery animal could be an exotic (likely illegal) pet that escaped or was discarded by a homeowner. For example, it could be a black leopard from Asia or a black jaguar from South America. Also, fur collected at the Plank Road panther's apparent former bedding site by Charles MacArthur and Shane Lyon is mostly dark gray. Perhaps a gray cougar could be mistaken for black from a distance, in low light.

To make the nomenclature even more confusing, black leopards and black jaguars often are informally called "black panthers" by the public.

There also have been many reports in various places in the United States of a mysterious large black cat of some species that the zoological community does not recognize even exists. A recent episode of the cable TV series "Monster Quest" featured people who claimed to have seen such "alien black cats" in Texas and Kentucky.


Source: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/c...LER_S3.article

[ThatsNasty]

Well after all it was their territory,

Theres a place out here Called Cougar Canyon.... Supposedly before settlers arrived there was over a thousand cougar in a 10 k area,sadly they were all slaughtered and now the closest habitat for them is 4-5 hour drive :(

[xxRia]

I just moved from Wisconsin.. I think it was a good thing.

[firedog25]

I've seen some really big cougars here in SoCal.

[Azimuth]

Poor things.

[Blewvane]

Hate to say it but when an animal like that makes its home in a suburban area then it must be either killed or caught and released somewhere else. Preferably to a county you don't like that is far enough away so you don't get blamed for it.

[sevens7ar]

There have been reports of big black cats and black panthers here in Australia. The story behind it is, one of Australia's discoverers had a pet panther that had fallen pregnant before it's owner set sail. So the person died of scurvy and panther escaped and had it's cubs and so on. Don't know if its truth tho.

[firedog25]

Originally Posted by Blewvane ↗

Hate to say it but when an animal like that makes its home in a suburban area then it must be either killed or caught and released somewhere else. Preferably to a county you don't like that is far enough away so you don't get blamed for it.

Well not to sound like a tree hugger but we're the one's that encroached on the cat's territory. There's a trail just outside of Pasadena, Mount Lowe, nice big trail for hiking, jogging, and mountain biking. There have been more than a few attacks there but then again you're going where cougars have been KNOWN to prowl so that's you're problem if you get mauled or eaten.

[Shellyeponce2011]

So if their extinct, why are they shooting what they think might be a return. IDIOTS!

[Arkoquisa]

I saw a big cougar a few years back down here in Texas. I have found many many tracks over the years however and hear them screaming from time to time. I just wish ocelots were still in this area. Some say they still are but I have never come across one. bear and buffalo use to be in this area as well. Now the biggest things are bore, gators, and cougs.