Cougars near Sylvia Lake??

Photo by Don Putman

There have been many recent postings here on Sylvia Lake Online about cougar sightings. Don Putman, former law officer, and his wife, Shirley, have gone one "step" further. They sent these footprint photos for those cynics and posted the following message on the message board:

"02/02/06 - 7:30am - While driving out the Mansion Grounds road this AM, we saw a large blonde colored cat, small head, and long tail run across the road near Harold Gotham's camp. I'm sure it was a cougar!!! I'll try and sent footprint pictures."

Click the photos to see a closer look. If you are interested in more information about these beautiful cats. The links below should help. The cougar is on the United States Endangered Species list.

NYS- DEC- Fact Sheet about Cougars - This is excellent overall information and states clearly the DEC's position on cougars. "In many instances it is a case of mistaken identity."

Save the Cougar - Website dedicated to saving this beautiful animal. Lots of great information here.

Eastern Cougar Net - Great site for photographs and information about cougars.

Article from the New York Times, Nov.28, 1996
"Pawprint Gives Hope ThatCougar, Presumed Extinct, Lives"

Click the picture to get a closer look-->

RE Cougar sightings: From Carl Colton, West Shore Road

In addition to deer a favorite food of cougars is beaver. Maybe if Gary Scott and Fergie are around they could post some signs directing our resident cougars to the outlet are to help with the beaver roblem.

When our daughter Martha was finishing HS and was in college she worked with a leash trained cougar with educational programs in schools and college. At that time she also held a DEC permit to own and raise a cougar.

My stack of cougar articles (not magazines with an article) stands about 8" high and included notes with curator of large cats at the National Zoo, US and Canadian Wldlife and Fisheries personnel,and with the director of the Nationa Institute of Health who did teh DNA studies on several of the more or lest distinct sub species of which there are 20some. I also have some fo the bounty records for the local area listing the last know kills in the 1890's in NYS.

RE the track: It may have been the melt that resulted in the appearance, but it looked to me that there were claw marks showing in which case a cat of any kind would be ruled out.

I have every reason to believe that there are cougars in Northern NY and also to believe that our area is on the edge of somewhat ideal cougar habitat.