Obviously, the photo provided by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries Wildlife in this morning's paper is not the same photo sent in by the anonymous Sidney resident. The photo in the paper is certainly a mountain lion (cougar), so there would be no further need to determine its validity, that is if this photo was indeed taken in Sidney. Having spent considerable time tracking and observing mountain lions from a distance in New Brunswick, Utah, and Florida, I would not concur that the photo, as presented, "is inconclusive." Enough of the "big cat" is shown in this photo to confirm its identity, even without exposing the characteristic long tail.

Shorter-tailed and much smaller bobcat and lynx are the only other wild cats with which a cougar could be confused, and they have much different body shapes. I would agree with Mark Latti that, if confirmed, this sighting/photo is most likely an individual released/escaped from captivity and not indicative of wild populations in Maine.

David Halliwell

Vertebrate Biologist

Clinton

ne-fish1@aol.com