I almost ran over a Cougar

[Fred]

I almost ran over a Cougar? And I don't mean the kind that hang out at the 20/20 club.

Are there cougars in NB? This thing was big. Saw it on my way back from SJ late last night. Moved like a cat, looked like a cat, was way bigger than a cat, had beige coat...

[Burley]

I would say 99% Lynx... bobcat are also around big time but smaller. Cougar is rare, but confirmed by many trappers and hunters. Lynx is the likely suspect. Most people want to see a cougar and it is usually a Lynx.

Of the hundreds (if not thousands) of wildlife trail cams around NB I have seen zero cougar pictures and many lynx.

[Andrew]

Burley,

These wildlife cams... are they viewable from the web, or are these private?

Andrew

[*Chris*]

Cougars populations have not been present in NB for about 100 years. There was a hair sample from the Fundy NP area DNA analysed a few years back which was confimed as cougar but I'm convinced it was a domesticated pet that was released when its owners realized their little kitten grew up. Every year there are reported cougar sightings but you'd have a better chance convincing me you saw bigfoot.

How big was the cat you saw? Bobcat and lynx can appear big especially when running in full stride. I've seen a cougar in person on the west coast and they are really long... like we're talking huge!

[Fred]

It seemed like the size of a small Lab Retriever. From the pictures I saw on the internet it did not look spotted like a Bobcat and the tail seemed longer. Looks more like the photos I saw of a Lynx.

Then again, it was late and for all I know it could have been a rabbit. hehe

[jeremy]

Even seeing a wild bobcat or lynx is cool. I put my money on bobcat not lynx. There are probable 100 bobcat here for every 1 lynx. The Eastern cougar died off sometime around 1950 but there have been proven tracks and scat (crap) found in Fundy and northern NB but have been proven Western cougar, probably escaped domestic western cougar.
Lets hope cougars don't move into welsford, I don't want to have to keep looking over my shoulder.

[Burley]

Those cameras would be on personal sites. Some people post on hunting forums. They take stills not video.

Valid or not I've seen some solid reports of cougar (not Lynx) tracks by some trappers... they have a massive range... very rare in this area. Chris could be right on the "domestic" idea. Most folks go with what they can buy on the West Coast... we might be surprised how many of these "domestic" cats are pets in Atl Canada.

Small lab sounds like a Lynx. Cougar is like 6 feet in length and weighs over 200lbs... long tail... Short tail = Lynx for sure.

Lynx is like 30 lbs... med sized dog... and with all the fur it'll look bigger... short tail.

[mathieu]

Of the 2 cougar's i've seen here in Alberta, the thing that struck me the most was the tail. Cougars are half tail, half killing machine. Way bigger than a Lab.

20/20 club, is that place still going?

[Joe]

I've investigated many credible cougar sightings, mainly with evidence like tracks, and I've come to the realization that there is a seperate race of cougars unique to New Brunswick. All reported cougars have very large bodies (2m) along with long tails (2m), however the tracks they leave behind are tiny (5cm)! That may account for why they are so secretive - they're embarrased by their tiny feet. But I might be wrong, they may be sneaking around on their tippy toes, hoping to creep up to a nice fat forester and provide supper to the kittens. Either way, if you have a chance, "accidently" run over one of the damn things, and you'll be famous.
PS. The DNA from cougar hairs recently found in NB indicates the animal(s) originated from South America - i.e. private zoo escapees.

[Shawn B]

The courier who comes into our office lives off the Campbell Road in Nerepis. There has been a large lynx seen and photographed in that area...apparently approaching 80 lbs. Large feet according to his paw prints...10cm. So it is true...size matters...as is aparent as he doesn't mind having his picture taken.

[martha]

PS. The DNA from cougar hairs recently found in NB indicates the animal(s) originated from South America - i.e. private zoo escapees.

Is this for real? People actually have these (and I can only imagine other...) animals as pets? Wild animals from other continents?! Are they Mad? do they have any thought to what can happen if these animals escape into the wild here?! and perhaps cross bread with similar species? or bring foreign disease to our forests? Tell me this is illegal? And Why don't we spend more tax payers $$ on this stuff and lock up their asses instead of wasting time on the hicks with weed in their back yards?!

rant over.

yeeeesh.

[cory]

From what I've researched, there are anywhere from 1-15 species and subspecies of cougar in the Americas. The taxonomists cannot agree, partially because they are in such low numbers with massive overlapping ranges. Those found in Arizona, Peru, Patagonia, Alaska, Alberta, Everglades, Quebec/NB, vary in size, and primary prey (related, no?) as well as coat thickness (climate and size related, no?). Historically they were named by the locals: Cougar, mountain lion, catamount, panther, puma...

Those found in NB have been shown to have DNA related to other strains, but no one is sure that those native to the Acadian forest ever were distinct genetically. They may be purebred escapes, mutts with captive foreign and local native, or purely native.

Bottom line: they exist, there here, they're incredibly stealthy, very rare, small population, massive range, and hard to mistake for another cat, if you see the whole body (and are educated on our cats).

Believe it or not the cheetah's closest relative is the cougar. Apparently after the ancestor came across the Bering Land Bridge and populated all of NA and SA it went back, eventually evolving into the cheetah back in Africa.

[jdhohmann]

So Joe, I think I can safely say that the cougar isn't going after you, I just hope I'm not beside you, when one comes 'stealthly' around !!!! I probally look like a more scrumptous meal ..........

[Jon Corey]

It seems like every time i chat with the farmer the conversation goes something like this:
farmer " you know there's wolves out here"
me "oh yeah?"
"and people don't believe me but there's cougar's out here too"
"oh yeah?
"people come out here from the city and for some reason they think they're still in the city"
"yep"

[STeveA]

I would say 99% Lynx...

What is the other 1%?

[martha]

I would say 99% Lynx...

What is the other 1%?

[chossmonkey]

If Fred would have just sped up a little and run it over it would have saved a lot of everyone's time.

[Burley]

The 1%.... I guess I should have said 99% chance of Lynx over Cougar... but it could have been 1% rabbit depending on what it ate that day