Posted on 11/09/2004 6:57:38 PM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets
Mountain Lion Spotted In Boston-Area Town Joggers Urged To Use Caution
POSTED: 10:44 am EST November 9, 2004 UPDATED: 7:33 pm EST November 9, 2004
ACTON, Mass. -- Acton residents are being warned about a mountain lion on the prowl.
NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that there have been two sightings of a mountain lion, also known as a cougar, in the past week.
"It was scary. It was a growl. It was loud and it was deep. It was what you envision when you hear it -- you just envision this large cat," said Acton resident Colleen DiPietro.
"It sounded like an animal in distress running around our house about three times," said Acton resident Ellen Schemerhorn.
Experts say mountain lions no longer roam the area, but this sighting on Mohawk Street is different -- two police officers saw the cat, too.
"When they got out the cruiser and went to the back, they reported seeing a large animal walk by them. They describe it as a 5- to 6-foot cat, very low to the ground, very muscular with a long tail," said Acton police Lt. Don Palma.
An electric sign has been put up in town to alert residents and pet owners. Police are also urging people who jog at dusk or dawn to use extra caution.
"I wouldn't rule anything out, but it would be my belief if there was a cougar here, it is probably an illegal release. There is an illegal trade of wildlife of what they call 'prestige pets,'" said Tony Wolski, of the environmental police.
If you do come face to face with a mountain lion, experts say you should not run, try to appear as big as possible and make a lot of noise.
Beware of Lions on the prowl.
They can't shoot it. There are no guns in Massachusetts are there?
It sounds like it has been around people -- it just walked past the troopers? If that is the case, then it will hang around houses and eat pets.
Not a healthy animal, it should be 'removed'.
Where I live, cougar and bear sightings in town occur yearly. The cougar will take three 158-grain rounds of .357 Magnum, while the bear will require a one-ounce 12-ga slug.
They are pretty strict with regulations, but yes there are.
That cougar has rights. PETA
If there aren't any guns, how is it that there have been 37 murders in Boston alone this year that were committed with firearms?
This really surprizes me. I would never have thought mountians lions were in Mass. I saw one cross the road in Sonora Mexico (where you expect to see them) and it was indeed, "close to the ground". You would never mistake one for a dog or a bear, that's for sure.
An adult with their pants down or a coyote?
John Kerry only took two of these three pieces of advice. He should have taken all three.
Really? I did'nt know coyotes were a threat to humans. Small animals yes, but I thought they were afraid of people. We hear them out here all the time and I kinda like hearing the howl. Maybe I should change my attitude?
Not just in Mass. but about 25 miles from Logan Airport, this isn't the Berkshires.
There's some sort of a spotted cat in Tennessee
that escaped from its owner, it has an odd name - -
they say will bite - - - looks like it would make a good
ZOT kitty.
Like New Hampshire?
People shouldn't be living in most parts of Massachusetts. The former colony should be restored to the state it was before white Europeans invaded and destroyed the Native American population, and exterminated most of the indigenous wildlife.
But not to worry. Once the Bush administration is overthrown by the true blue American intelligentsia, the rewilding of Massachusetts will proceed, and the United Nations supervised biosphere reserves will be formalized and made off-limits to human habitation.
Only then can America become great again.
The ones that have invaded the northeast are larger than the desert/grassland variety. They're not HUGE, but they are bigger. Some believe they are actually coyote-wolf hybrids, extending from Canadian ranges.
It's an animal. It does what it's instincts tell it to do. It's not the animal's fault why he's loose, why should he be killed ? I don't get it.
We have a bad case of the cougars near Boulder, Colorado. I attended a public meeting with state officials. If you shoot a Mountain Lion without good cause you are subject to a fine of several thousand dollars. Is it justified to shoot a lion if you see it attacking your pet? Nope.
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