>There may be thousands of captive cougars in the eastern United States.<
Without a doubt somebody is smoking the funny weed or drinking cheap booze.
I agree. Obviously something’s up with the increased sightings and the USFWS recent interest in documenting these.
I also have published stories here in Tennessee about the alligator populations in the western portion of the state, although alligators are not native here. I actually watched several small gators once in Reelfoot Lake.
Also, recently published a brief article about two bears (one collared) seen in west Tennessee, which were suspected to be from some stocked in Arkansas. We do have bears in east Tennessee, but haven’t had a population in the west in a century.
Coyotes are not native here, but we have a large number of them, in fact now have a year round, no limit, hunting season. Oh, and we also have non native armidillos in west Tennessee.