Don’t’ get me wrong I ain’t saying there are no Cougars in Arkansas or NC for that matter. In fact I’ll go far enough to say to a level of certainty there ARE cougars (Mt. Lions) in about every state. Now hold that thought and read.
When old Chris Columbus found this place there were Eastern cougars, elk, and Buffalo in NC. But they are all gone. Not far from me (Shelby NC) there is a large herd of Buffalo, and in the mountains of NC there are herds of Elk, but neither are from what was here then. They have been brought in and reintroduced.
They are NOT here because their numbers are increasing elsewhere and are expanding their territory like deer and coyotes have done.
Right or wrong, legal or illegal, Folk buy cougar kittens (cubs whatever) because they think it would be cool to own one. Later the dang things grow up and are not as “cute” are they once were. Being attached to the thing instead of killing it or having it live it’s life out in a cage or pen they take them to some wildlife wilderness area and quietly and release them.
There are sighting of them from time to time in this state as in others because they don’t know where the wilderness area property lines and they are looking for partners, food, traveling etc.
There was a place called Pets Unusual in North Carolina that operated until just a couple of years ago. I remember the year the movie Talladega Nights came out they sold every cougar cub they had or could get. I’m certain some of these NC rednecks decided to release those things when they grew up.
There have been two Mt Lion (cougars, whatever) hit by cars in NC and turned in to Wildlife that were declawed. But the eastern cougar foundation people got all hot and bothered until the declawed fact came out…
And there’s another issue this group of anti hunter folks started the Eastern Cougar Foundation with all these “first Hand” sightings and all kind of evidence etc. and for 20 years they took folks money and did all this research…. Guess what, THEY finally have conceded the eastern cougar is extinct… So now they have changed their group to the Cougar Rewilding Foundation. I guess so they can continue to take Whale Kisser and Tree Hugger’s money.
It’s just like the bigfoot people as long as people will make up the stories folks will try to make money off of it.
So in short I’m certain there are a cougar (mountain lion) or two running around Arkansas, NC and other states, but what folks are seeing are released over grown pets. There is not WILD bunch of cougars expanding their range because of overpopulation in their home ranges. I mean Bucky already says there is no deer in that part of the state so why would cougars come there to hunt?
The one claim that makes me pull my last hair out is when (and it happens a lot) people seeing a Black Panther. I ain’t talking about the racist group I’m talking about a cat…. NO SUCH THING….
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Originally Posted by Captain
