“I Tawt I Taw A Puty Tat”……Episode 637!
June 30, 2007
Once again the talk is next to feverish about someone having seen a mountain lion in Maine and they have produced a photo as evidence.
An anonymous person gave this photo to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife claiming to have seen a mountain lion in the Sydney, Maine area. According to an article in the Sun Journal, Mark Latti of MDIFW says the photo is authentic but cannot confirm the animal in it is a mountain lion.
Officials are investigating the scene to measure the rocks and surrounding objects to help better put to scale the size of the animal in the photo. As is usual with lions, experts use the tail as the first positive indicator of a lion. A puma’s tale is long and a pretty definitive trait. None can be seen is this photo. Officials hope to also be able to find tracks and scat.
I certainly am no expert on identifying animals but I question that the animal is a mountain lion. Here are two photos. One is of a mountain lion, the other a Canada lynx. Granted the photos are a considerably different setting but it should give you an indication of some of the key features of each of the animals.
Mountain lion, cougar, puma, catamount – these are name common to the lion.
Markings and colorings on the Sydney photo don’t seem to match those of a mountain lion. It is difficult to say as some of the color variations could be caused by shadows, etc.
Either way, these sightings have gone on for decades and MDIFW officials still report that there are no wild mountain lions in Maine. Until it is easily proven that Maine has a breeding pair of lions, that status will remain.
Tom Remington
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I have seen both Mt lions and Canada lynx in the wild and this photo is of a large Lynx.
Looks more like a ratty stuffed animal to me! And with the person not wanting to be identified, I would have to believe they are part of the anti-trapping group and this whole thing has been staged.
Notice the right ear looks like poor taxidermy job and the color and stripes don’t look like it a lion.
Even if it were a lion, Maine is only a “fringe” area and they are transient varmits anyway!
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS A BOBCAT.IT SEEMS TO ME THE SUBJECT ISN’T AS CLEAR AS WE WOULD LIKE.I DON’T KNOW THE RANGE OF THE BOBCAT,BUT I’VE SEEN THEM IN NORTHERN PA.
We Live On The Outskirts Of Freeport, Me and have seen a simular animal roaming our 100+ arce lot. But We have seen the two cubs and one adult by four different eyewittnesses on several different ocassions from as close as 10ft (cubs) and 100ft (adult).
Additional Information:
What we have seen of the adult was:
18-20 in tall (on shoulders)
4 feet long
140 lbs
Paw Prints as big as my hand.
With a tail averaging 3ft+
and it growels (menacingly)
There is no doubt in our minds that this is a Lion of some sort.
I sure would love to post some pictures of that here. Got any?
We have been unable to capture any pictures so far but have recently bought a new camera with a zoom lens and if it appears again we will be sure to attempt a more adequite photograph.
Larry D…..Have you had any luck on a pic yet? Have had 3 sightings of 2 or them in my yard since April, neighbors saw them the third time. We have no pics either since they show up infrequently and at different times of day and night. Buckfield
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