Cougars, and coyotes, and bears, oh my!
In yesterday’s Oak Ridger, Sam Suffern told about 3 reliable reports of cougar sightings here in Oak Ridge. The cougar thus joins the coyote as a large predator we need to worry about in our backyards. (I’m not aware of black bear sightings here, but it’s possible for them to be here, too.)
It’s romantic to think that native cougars have somehow managed to survive in Oak Ridge’s extensive green spaces, but wildlife experts say that any cougars sighted around here are almost sure to have been individual “pets” that escaped (kind of like the peacock that roamed my neighborhood and other parts of the city several years back). It’s very unlikely that there’s a wild population of cougars here.
Coyotes, on the other hand, have “gone native,” here and everywhere — like it or not, they’ve become part of our world.
Fortunately, all of these animals generally steer clear of humans, but (as Suffern’s letter says) they are dangerous and we all should be aware of their presence.
Added March 13th:
By e-mail, Warren Webb (one-time ORNL wildlife manager, now retired) tells me :
I read the letter. I wasn’t convinced, and I can’t judge the reports reliable on the information given. And yes, we have had black bear reports (probably more likely) . . .
Added June 10th:
As it happens, just this week a black bear was spotted in town, not to mention being photographed… In spite of the extent of Oak Ridge’s greenbelts and the fact that black bears are reported to live in relatively developed places (such as suburban New Jersey), I imagine that this bear was feeling confused — and anxious to get out of town and away from people.
Added June 15th:
Now it seems that “our” bear is in west Knox County, according to the News Sentinel. Those critters can move fast! The family cat and I both spotted another reminder of our ubiquitous wildlife: a large snake slithered through the carport today. It looked like one of the various nonpoisonous varieties, but impressive nonetheless. Too bad that neither snakes nor bears seems able to discourage the deer from eating our tomato plants…
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[...] Smith notes there have been cougar sightings in Oak Ridge lately: It’s romantic to think that native cougars have somehow managed to survive in [...]
Pingback by Oak Ridge: where the high school students are smarter, the Unitarians are more populous, and the feral cats grow strangely huge : KnoxvilleTalks.com — March 11, 2008 @ 12:33 pm
I questioned this letter and asked my friends who do raise Mountain Lion cubs. He did say it was possible one escaped, but the howling would be prominent early in the morning. I haven’t heard about this howling in Oak Ridge. One point he made out was that a zoologist would check for paw prints. Did she look for paw prints? Coloring and markings is not a definite source for identifying. So I looked around for other reports of other animals since a Mountain Lion (Cougar) is out of its habitat in Oak Ridge.
Movements and Dispersal of Bobcats in East Tennessee, J. Thomas Kitchings, Jay D. Story, The Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 48, No. 3 (Jul., 1984), pp. 957-961
By its size, I would say it was a Bobcat.
Comment by Ray Kircher — March 12, 2008 @ 8:29 am
Waking up to a Mountain Lion howling in the morning is bone chilling. Someone would have reported that. I do believe proper management of property is why these animals are increasing their domain, not only DOE land but home sites within Oak Ridge seem to attract many songbirds and wildlife. I would say entitlement has its boredom in the wilderness also.
Thank you for the top class info from ORNL. It only shows we have more than we think when we have questions about what is happening.
Comment by Ray Kircher — March 13, 2008 @ 5:09 pm