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State probes report of big cat sighting
By JOEL ELLIOTT
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Friday, June 29, 2007

SIDNEY -- A state biologist is investigating a claim that someone here sighted a mountain lion in the area.

An anonymous resident sent a photo of a mountain lion to Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and experts there have yet to determine its validity, according to department spokesman Mark Latti.

"The photo is inconclusive, just because of the perspective, and it only shows part of the cat," he said.

Latti said it would be easier to determine the type of cat if the back end were visible in the photo, as long tails are a distinctive feature of mountain lions.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife receives similar sporadic calls from residents across the state, but biologists have not found evidence that they consider to be conclusive about the cats' presence, Latti said.

"There is not a wild population of mountain lions or cougars in the state," he said. "However, there's a very real possibility that someone could have brought it in from another state and released it. Or it could be an escaped domestic one."

Latti said that if there were a wild population of mountain lions in the state, there would be more sightings or hard evidence, such as road kill.

"While it is a possibility, we just don't have enough evidence to substantiate it," he said.

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Reader comments

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Snow of fairtown, ME
Jun 29, 2007 1:45 PM
I don't find this hard to believe either. Last year I was talking with a person who also spotted a mountian lion around his property in East Vassalboro.
I know many people out in that area and they have lost pets to unknown wildlife. I still suspect this is what is killing family cats and I'm sure they are killing off more "less aggressive" wildlife as well.
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Sparky of central, ME
Jun 29, 2007 8:13 AM
This is not a surprise to many people in this area. A mountain lion has been spotted in the Mount Vernon and Belgrade lakes region for the last few years. The two witnesses I talked to described the cat as definately a Mountain lion because it had all markings and was the size of a mountain lion. The one difference that was somewhat different for a "normal" lion was that its tail was not as long as one would expect. My witnesses said the tail was much too long for a bobcat but seemed shorter than what would be expected for a mountain lion. Maybe the lion had an accident? The sightings were at different times of the same month last year, one in Belgrade and one in Mt. Vernon. There may only be one in the area. Who knows. But there is definately one for sure. Maybe it is not wild...maybe it escaped from a certain animal zoo located in the Mt. Vernon/Belgrade area.
Hummmm.report abuse
Liz of Mercer, ME
Jun 29, 2007 7:29 AM
I find it hard to understand why this is so hard to believe. I have seen one these big cats in my area several times a year for over 4 years. I know others have also seen it out here. I guess thinking that one may have migrated from another state would be to hard to believe. We still have so much open land in Maine, why wouldn't they want move in here. I haven't reported it because of the influx of hunters and lookyloos that tend to follow. Hey folks enjoy the beauty don't call the authorities. report abuse

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