Comments on: Disturbing Disclosure: Texas Cougars Being Released in East?

By: G. de La Hoya

G. de La Hoya — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:56:01 +0000

Fossil Hunter is correct on noting the extent of the cougar’s range. I don’t go into the timber anymore unless I am armed against the four-legged or two-legged varmints.

By: kittenz

kittenz — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 03:58:49 +0000

I do not for one minute believe that cougars from Texas are being surreptitiously released in the East. However, Texas cougars are thought to be of the existing subspecies most closely related to Florida panthers, and its true that in the mid-1990s, a small number of female cougars were imported into Florida from Texas to reduce inbreeding in the desperately endangered Florida panther. The experiment has been a resounding success, but it is not an ongoing event. I believe a total of about 8 females were released, around 1995.

Maybe someone read or heard about that and drew a faulty conclusion.

By: BronzeSteel

BronzeSteel — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 23:54:35 +0000

Here in Northeast Texas there have been many big cat sightings. Thanks for sharing.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 22:52:46 +0000

Thank you, President Spatz for your appreciated clarification of this "rumor" about your alleged involvement in a reality documentary program. That ends that. BTW, please refer to the Terms of Use, regarding your access to the Cryptomundo Site indicates your agreement to abide by these Terms. Please also note, "Cryptomundo reserves the right to edit and/or delete any comment at the editorial staff’s discretion." One of the parameters disallowed in comments is “affiliate marketing,” and related links/ads/referrals. Thank you.

By: Christopher Spatz

Christopher Spatz — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 22:24:19 +0000

Oh, yeah…there’s no documentary.

By: Christopher Spatz

Christopher Spatz — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 21:58:24 +0000

Good afternoon, Mr. Coleman,

Rest assured, the Cougar Rewilding Foundation is not releasing Texas cats (or cougars from anywhere) into the East. However, should we ever get that far in our advocacy, you’ll hear about those transparent efforts long before the cats are ever on the ground.

…

Best,

Christopher Spatz, President
Cougar Rewilding Foundation

By: Goodfoot

Goodfoot — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 21:24:15 +0000

If true, this is really irresponsible. However, I know folks in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia who assure me that eastern cougars never went away, although numbers did significantly appear to go down. I saw one myself circa 2000 within a town limits in VA, and of the black variety, even. Very briefly.

Introducing a non-native variety can have unforeseen consequences, and I do NOT think Texas cougars range across two sets of mountains and a broad valley.

By: fossilhunter

fossilhunter — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 15:16:56 +0000

This sort of rumor of secretly relocated cougars has been circulating for decades about the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois too. I think people don’t realize how widely these animals can range in the natural course of things. It’s amazing how folks will jump to the most sensational conclusion first! In cases like this, I’m a firm believer in Ockham’s razor!

By: mandors

mandors — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:33:23 +0000

Don't know if it's true, but if so their activities would violate probably half a dozen Federal laws. Here's the link to their website. Their mission statement in the "about us" section seems to fit with the story.

By: Hambone

Hambone — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:14:07 +0000

And on a side note, the cougars are moving back to Texas for warmer weather.