Thursday, January 11, 2007
Cougars Are Coming!!
Reading Beast in the Garden piqued my interest in the possibility of mountain lions returning the region in which I live along the Ohio River 60 miles east of Cincinnati. The mountain lion's primary food source is wild grazing animals, especially deer. This area is over flowing with deer.
I saw three deer grazing in the front yard of a residential area today. Some farmers in the area recruit hunters to hunt on their farms in order control crop damage due to deer. Hillsides too steep to farm provide plenty of woods for mountain lions to hide from humans. It seems to me mountain lions could re-establish themselves in this rural area. Coyotes have flourished over the last couple of decades.
Initially, I spoke with local hunters and farmers I know. A couple claimed there had been a few sightings of a mountain lion in Fleming County, Kentucky, south of Maysville. However, I could find no evidence of these sighting on the Web.
But one substantiated case of a mountain lion has been recorded in Kentucky. In 1997, in Floyd County, Kentucky a man hit and killed a puma kitten on Highway 850.
In November, 2004, USA Today reported on mountain lions moving into Midwestern and Eastern states. The article cites as the primary reason for the return of mountain lions as being abundance of deer and elk. "Mountain lions are thriving because deer and elk — the cougar's main prey — have grown in numbers while competing predators — wolves and bears — are struggling." In May, 2004, USA Today also reported sightings of a mountain lion in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, Ohio's largest city. Columbus lies about 100 miles north of Maysville.
Suddenly, in the past two weeks, mountain lions sightings are being reported in the Cincinnati area. Indeed, the reporter in the news video claims to have seen the mountain lion himself. I drive through the areas the mountain lion was reported to have been seen each day I go to and from work. Considering that deer are so plentiful that one crashed through a plate glass window into the lobby of the Millennium Hotel in the heart of Cincinnati this past summer, seeing predators of the deer shouldn't be surprising.
I'll have to be extra careful if I have a flat tire.
I wonder how closely other areas will share the experiences of Boulder, Colorado. It seems almost inevitable that there will be some human fatalities. Modern man seems to have great difficulty figuring out his role in nature, even if it means protecting one's self and loved ones.
Out of curiosity, I've begun checking certain areas for tracks. Maybe I'll discover something. I'm certainly a little more leery of letting my kids roam in the woods unsupervised and unprotected. And, I hope there is no reason for a "Beast in the Garden, Part II."
I saw three deer grazing in the front yard of a residential area today. Some farmers in the area recruit hunters to hunt on their farms in order control crop damage due to deer. Hillsides too steep to farm provide plenty of woods for mountain lions to hide from humans. It seems to me mountain lions could re-establish themselves in this rural area. Coyotes have flourished over the last couple of decades.
Initially, I spoke with local hunters and farmers I know. A couple claimed there had been a few sightings of a mountain lion in Fleming County, Kentucky, south of Maysville. However, I could find no evidence of these sighting on the Web.
But one substantiated case of a mountain lion has been recorded in Kentucky. In 1997, in Floyd County, Kentucky a man hit and killed a puma kitten on Highway 850.
This kitten is important for several reasons: she was a highway fatality, and biologists claim that if cougars were present in any numbers some would get hit by cars; she indicates that reproduction is going on in the wild; and she exemplifies the mixing of cougars from various origins that is probably occurring in the eastern woods. An April 20, 2001 letter from Steve Thomas, Wildlife biologist, KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources to Chris Bolgiano, ECF vp, confirms the above information.Floyd County lies in the mountain region of Kentucky about 100 miles south southeast of Maysville. The sighting is undoubtedly legitimate but only a single occurrence.
In November, 2004, USA Today reported on mountain lions moving into Midwestern and Eastern states. The article cites as the primary reason for the return of mountain lions as being abundance of deer and elk. "Mountain lions are thriving because deer and elk — the cougar's main prey — have grown in numbers while competing predators — wolves and bears — are struggling." In May, 2004, USA Today also reported sightings of a mountain lion in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, Ohio's largest city. Columbus lies about 100 miles north of Maysville.
Suddenly, in the past two weeks, mountain lions sightings are being reported in the Cincinnati area. Indeed, the reporter in the news video claims to have seen the mountain lion himself. I drive through the areas the mountain lion was reported to have been seen each day I go to and from work. Considering that deer are so plentiful that one crashed through a plate glass window into the lobby of the Millennium Hotel in the heart of Cincinnati this past summer, seeing predators of the deer shouldn't be surprising.
I'll have to be extra careful if I have a flat tire.
I wonder how closely other areas will share the experiences of Boulder, Colorado. It seems almost inevitable that there will be some human fatalities. Modern man seems to have great difficulty figuring out his role in nature, even if it means protecting one's self and loved ones.
Out of curiosity, I've begun checking certain areas for tracks. Maybe I'll discover something. I'm certainly a little more leery of letting my kids roam in the woods unsupervised and unprotected. And, I hope there is no reason for a "Beast in the Garden, Part II."
Comments:
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i am more and more convinced that god, or nature, has finally had enough of us.
you could argue that the mountain lions were there first, and they deserve better treatment. you could argue that people dont respect the wild life.
we humans cause so much change, then we complain when animals adapt to the changes we made on their environment.
then theres the imported species, and so on..
i feel for the animals, they are being pressured, by humans over expansion, or lack of food, or finding easier pickings around humans.. who is really to blame for those problems.. not the animals.
you could argue that the mountain lions were there first, and they deserve better treatment. you could argue that people dont respect the wild life.
we humans cause so much change, then we complain when animals adapt to the changes we made on their environment.
then theres the imported species, and so on..
i feel for the animals, they are being pressured, by humans over expansion, or lack of food, or finding easier pickings around humans.. who is really to blame for those problems.. not the animals.
And Penn State starts winning bowl games...against Tennessee. Coincidence? Or one of those things that makes you go "hmmmmm?"
It is all adaptation, but a puma kitten on the road in Kentucky is worrisome. I just don't think it will end up being a problem, especially in the South. I mean, we may have deer out the Yazoo, but we also have about a million guys on four wheelers hanging out in duck blinds with deer pee on their boots. Might be a feast for a mountain lion, until it is realized that every one of those dudes has a high powered 30.06 hunting rifle with em. I guarantee you there are some mountain lion heads on basement walls in Kentucky right now that nobody knows about.
I dunno what its like up in Ohio, though.
Solution? Open deer season for an additional month and keep the populations down. The idea of mountain lions roaming the wilds of the Blue Ridge appeals to me on a Southern boy, Alabama Mountain Stomp sort of way...
...but I did grow up in a place where the tourists thought the alligators were 'cute.'
It is all adaptation, but a puma kitten on the road in Kentucky is worrisome. I just don't think it will end up being a problem, especially in the South. I mean, we may have deer out the Yazoo, but we also have about a million guys on four wheelers hanging out in duck blinds with deer pee on their boots. Might be a feast for a mountain lion, until it is realized that every one of those dudes has a high powered 30.06 hunting rifle with em. I guarantee you there are some mountain lion heads on basement walls in Kentucky right now that nobody knows about.
I dunno what its like up in Ohio, though.
Solution? Open deer season for an additional month and keep the populations down. The idea of mountain lions roaming the wilds of the Blue Ridge appeals to me on a Southern boy, Alabama Mountain Stomp sort of way...
...but I did grow up in a place where the tourists thought the alligators were 'cute.'
"who is really to blame for those problems.. "
What problem? The cougars get the odd human here or there, and all the other hikers get a thrill the next time they go out.
As for the hunters, there must be enough deer to share. there is room in my world for both. Humans and cougars are both predatory species.
There was a case recently in Orange County, south of LA, where a cougar pulled someone off a bike and ate half of him, and then another case where another cougar nearly killed a woman who was out biking. The public reaction was indifferent, and no wonder. After all, California is crawling with humans, but cougars are a buzz.
What problem? The cougars get the odd human here or there, and all the other hikers get a thrill the next time they go out.
As for the hunters, there must be enough deer to share. there is room in my world for both. Humans and cougars are both predatory species.
There was a case recently in Orange County, south of LA, where a cougar pulled someone off a bike and ate half of him, and then another case where another cougar nearly killed a woman who was out biking. The public reaction was indifferent, and no wonder. After all, California is crawling with humans, but cougars are a buzz.
# posted by 
: 3:59 PM
: 3:59 PM
I don't mind mountain lions increasing in number as long as I'm allowed to protect myself and my family is necessary. If one frequents my yard, I want it gone.
Some seem to believe that animals have a greater right to be on this earth than people. I don't agree. We all have the same right. I have a right to safety in my yard or farm. If I voluntarily enter a wildlife preserve such as a national park, I'm willing to take a greater chance.
But I'd like to be able to enter similar areas, such as national forests, and carry a firearm for protection. Sure, there might be abuses but there already is. Poachers hunt in national parks all the time.
Mostly, I think it will be very interesting to see how we deal with the encroachment of deadly predators into human communities. One error is not recognizing that the animals are becoming more abundant in the same areas where humans live as much as humans moving into more remote areas.
More people live in urban areas than ever. The eastern United States is more forested than 200 years ago according to one of the links I posted. In 1930 the white-tail deer population was estimated at 300,000 for the U.S. Now it is estimated to be 30 million, lots of food for lions.
What is a Nittany Lion, anyway? Gotta love Joe Paterna. Don't care if he did beat us.
Some seem to believe that animals have a greater right to be on this earth than people. I don't agree. We all have the same right. I have a right to safety in my yard or farm. If I voluntarily enter a wildlife preserve such as a national park, I'm willing to take a greater chance.
But I'd like to be able to enter similar areas, such as national forests, and carry a firearm for protection. Sure, there might be abuses but there already is. Poachers hunt in national parks all the time.
Mostly, I think it will be very interesting to see how we deal with the encroachment of deadly predators into human communities. One error is not recognizing that the animals are becoming more abundant in the same areas where humans live as much as humans moving into more remote areas.
More people live in urban areas than ever. The eastern United States is more forested than 200 years ago according to one of the links I posted. In 1930 the white-tail deer population was estimated at 300,000 for the U.S. Now it is estimated to be 30 million, lots of food for lions.
What is a Nittany Lion, anyway? Gotta love Joe Paterna. Don't care if he did beat us.
Hey dadvocate,
I too read Beast In the Garden after watching a full grown mountain lion stroll across my horse paddock on a clear November morning last fall.The next morning I heard one and that's enough to send you running. Since then there have been a number of sightings and we've heard them a few times. I live semi rural on the Little Miami River skirting Ft. Ancient. A particular area with quite a few sightings is troubling to me. It is a ,what I call, an incubator subdivision in Mason. A subdivision with a lot of kids and this one even has a daycare center. What is significant about at least one of those sightings is the description of the tail on the cat. The person got a good look at it's tail due to the cat jumping on a neighbors deck and raising it's tail as if to spray. It had markings on the tail that would indicate a teenage male cat.This points to a breeding population rather than the official line of "It's an escaped pet." Sure they are. My concern is that these cats are becoming habituated to humans. The cat I saw had no fear . A fellow not too far from me ran one off two nights in a row. These cats have plenty of wild game to feed off of in this area but they are, at times , going after horses dogs etc. A few years back a woman was walking her property after a rain the night before. making her way back home she noticed her shoe tracks had big cat prints in them.She was being stalked. From my deduction in dealing with the authorities in the mountain lion matter the bottom line is the usual.....money...for several reasons. They are going to continue to deny, deny, deny. Hopefully not to the same end as in Boulder.
Mary
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I too read Beast In the Garden after watching a full grown mountain lion stroll across my horse paddock on a clear November morning last fall.The next morning I heard one and that's enough to send you running. Since then there have been a number of sightings and we've heard them a few times. I live semi rural on the Little Miami River skirting Ft. Ancient. A particular area with quite a few sightings is troubling to me. It is a ,what I call, an incubator subdivision in Mason. A subdivision with a lot of kids and this one even has a daycare center. What is significant about at least one of those sightings is the description of the tail on the cat. The person got a good look at it's tail due to the cat jumping on a neighbors deck and raising it's tail as if to spray. It had markings on the tail that would indicate a teenage male cat.This points to a breeding population rather than the official line of "It's an escaped pet." Sure they are. My concern is that these cats are becoming habituated to humans. The cat I saw had no fear . A fellow not too far from me ran one off two nights in a row. These cats have plenty of wild game to feed off of in this area but they are, at times , going after horses dogs etc. A few years back a woman was walking her property after a rain the night before. making her way back home she noticed her shoe tracks had big cat prints in them.She was being stalked. From my deduction in dealing with the authorities in the mountain lion matter the bottom line is the usual.....money...for several reasons. They are going to continue to deny, deny, deny. Hopefully not to the same end as in Boulder.
Mary
# posted by : 7:32 PM
: 7:32 PM Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
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