Cougar evidence has more bark than bite

IDAVILLE, Ind. (WLFI) - Experts believe evidence of a possible mountain lion roaming in White County actually belongs to a dog, not a big cat.

Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Dean Zimmerman said he sent pictures of tracks and scat samples found near Idaville to biologists in South Dakota and Nevada.
He said their conclusion was the tracks and scat are canine, not that of a cougar.

"I think it poses back to two things. One, either there wasn't a cat there, and people are seeing something that they thought was a cat, or, we simply didn't get the right photos of the right tracks," Zimmerman said.

But Zimmerman is not ready to write-off the possibility of a big cat in the Idaville area just yet.

"I wouldn't say this closes the book, persay. We've had quite a lull and no sightings, which could mean if there was a cat it has moved on. It could very well come back in the area, because of the Great Cat facility there. It wouldn't surprise me at all if we had some more reports in the area," Zimmerman said.

He said the evidence he collected was probably left by a dog weighing 75 to 100 pounds.
Zimmerman said the photos and evidence he collected are not for public release.

He encourages anyone who has credible evidence or has seen this animal to call him at 765-567-2152.

For more information on cougars click on this link. www.cougarnet.org/