[at-l] Mountain Lions in Smoky?

[l_parker at cacaphony.net (L. Clayton Parker)]

It is more likely a panther rather than a mountain lion, though most would
argue there is no difference. I live in the panhandle of Florida where there
are supposedly no longer any panther either, and yet, if you ask local
hunters, they will tell you differently.

The "experts" claim that a panther requires a rather substantial amount of
"undisturbed wilderness" as its territory. My observations have been that
they will actually tolerate a surprising amount of human presence, and as
long as natural game is abundant, you will never even know they are there.
Rather like a coyote in that behaviour...

I have heard (but not seen) them in eastern Tennessee.

Lee I Joe

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
> [mailto:at-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of Steve Adams
> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 10:14 AM
> To: PUDSCRAWLER@aol.com
> Cc: at-l@backcountry.net
> Subject: [at-l] Mountain Lions in Smoky?
>
>
> Kinnickinic,
>
> Reference your post, dated 12-12-03.
>
> You asked, ?Have you read ... about the possible presence of
> mountain lions
> in the (GSMNP) park??
>
> You advised, ?The suspicion is that, if true, the lions are human
> raised and
> released.?
>
> Mountain lions have been suspected in another park for several years.
>
> Years ago, I was hiking along the AT in a park and saw tracks in
> snow which
> looked suspiciously cat-like.  Large cat-like.
>
> I spoke with a park ranger, some weeks later, who reported
> driving to work
> early one morning, a couple of weeks before our conversation, and
> observing
> a mountain lion walking along the center line of a highway which
> crosses the
> park.  The lion didn?t panic when her truck approached just
> ambled off the
> highway and into the park woods, heading toward the general area
> in which I
> had observed the above tracks.  She asked her rider if she had seen
> anything.  Her rider asked, ?You mean that mountain lion??
>
> Since that time, other park rangers have advised me, park rangers have
> reported more sightings, both before and after the incidents, above, of
> mountain lion within the park.
>
> The Park Service doesn?t want to officially claim such a sighting
> until they
> have good photographic proof.
>
> The speculation has been the lions migrated from Canada.
>
> I spoke with a mountain lion specialist, working for the Ministry
> of Natural
> Resources, Ontario, Canada, who seemed surprised by mountain lion
> sightings
> that far east although he considered they are possible.
>
> I have not heard a rumor of mountain lions released after human
> habituation.
>
> Steve
>
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