We kept having sightings in our state of mountain lions but were told they were bobcats. Then a mountain lion got hit by a car.
Several years ago my Great Dane pulled a critter out of a tree and killed it. It was about three feet long, plus tail. I picked it up and estimate it weighed 40-50 pounds. The dogs took off with it before I could get a picture. I looked on the internet and decided it was some kind of marten. Problem, this is Alabama. The wild life guy I talked to assured me it was a mink, not a marten. I’ve seen mink and this was no mink.
There are more and more sightings of stuff that does live here. Bears, cougars, black panthers, martens and lord know what all.