Mountain Lions/ Cougars back in Kentucky! (Union, Harlan: cabins, title, residential)

[Irishtom29]

There are several uses of the term "panther" Dixie.

One is a term used for the a jaguar, often called a "black panther".

Another is a regional usage for the animal also known as a cougar, mountain lion, or puma. Historically the term was quite common in the American southest and midwest. If ole Daniel Boone ran into a "cougar" he probably called it a "panther".

[censusdata]

It makes sense from an ecological prospective: Kentucky has the most deer and turkeys per square mile of any state in the union, so if there's anywhere that could support an appex predator it would be here. The Eden Shale area of Northern Kentucky has tons of deer, so it would make sense that that area would have the most sightings

I always love the responses of the state fish & game services which will deny that bears/ cougars exist in an area despite numerous credible sightings. There were Black Bear sightings in the Adair/ Russell/ Casey Cos areas for 10 years before f & g admitted that bears did exist in those areas.

Black panthers are quite rare, most cougars/ panthers/ mountain lions look like this:
http://www.austinschools.org/campus/small/images/wildcat-cougar.jpg (broken link)

[RamblinRoseRanch]

I remember as a little girl, I couldn't keep a cat. My parents didn't DO inside animals, so they were at the mercy of predators. Bobcats got them all- once Dad shot one coming around the house. He was BEAUTIFUL, golden brown and heavily muscled- but so dangerous.
When I was smaller than that, a panther (painter ;-) got on the roof of our trailer and walked back and forth, crying. (the housesite was carved out of the hillside, so the cat literally lept the few feet from the woods to the roof) What a bonechilling sound that was!

[InLondon]

I'll be on the lookout. I remember hearing tales of a panther behind my grandma's house when I was little. Those tales kept me out of the woods.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

There are several uses of the term "panther" Dixie.

One is a term used for the a jaguar, often called a "black panther".

Another is a regional usage for the animal also known as a cougar, mountain lion, or puma. Historically the term was quite common in the American southest and midwest. If ole Daniel Boone ran into a "cougar" he probably called it a "panther".

Panthers and cougars are not indigenous to Kentucky now, maybe they were years ago. I think it is just a misnomer. Although some do swear they have spotted black panthers on and off in Kentucky.

[censusdata]

The date on the story I posted at the top of this thread was from Jan. 2007 - why has this not made any other news agencies?

I think with fewer people hunting nowandays the return of an apex predator is healthy for KY's ecology, but shouldn't people now what's up? Panthers can put a beating on livestock. There was one panther in NC a few years ago that killed 30 cattle and several dogs in a few months. They tend to be more aggressive with people than any other large predator in North America, killing 50 people since 1991 (compared with 40 bear attack fatalites in the same period)

[Jim280]

Wildcat





Bobcat & Kitten




Bobcat Kittens

Anyone here ever hear a Wildcat scream about 50 yards from you? Let me tell you from experience, it's nice if you have a change of clothes and a roll of Charmin handy.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by dixiegirl7

A panther is black, a wildcat is brown spotted and mingled. UK's mascot is a Kentucky wildcat which is known as a bobcat also.

There are black panthers which are truly leopards that are black. Mountain lions, pumas, and cougars are the same while wildcats are smaller and spotted. We have mountain lions and wildcats at the zoo.

[missymomof3]

There is something called a Florida panther which is very rare which resembles a cougar as well.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

There is something called a Florida panther which is very rare which resembles a cougar as well.

Yes, it looks more like a big wildcat. Are they called a golden panther?