Moose, Bears and . . . No Lions?

I saw this story [“Wildlife Bounds Back in the State”] in today’s Connecticut Post, basically discussing how Connecticut has greatly increased its woods and forests over the past 50 years, therefore making it so all types of fauna have found their way back into the state. The article talks about the return of black bear, fisher, wild turkey and moose, along with increased populations of deer, fox, bobcats and coyote.

Yes, the state has once again become a forest utopia. Pretty much any creature that used to make its home here seems to be back, officials believe. Well, every critter but one:

“We’ve also had many sightings of mountain lions reported to us, but we obtained no evidence to back them up,” said Rego, the DEP biologist. “The people apparently saw some other species. The nearest populations of mountain lions are in North and South Dakota and Florida.”

Apparently, there are many people who would beg to differ with the DEP. As I mention in our article about mountain lions, there have been many claims that these “ghosts of the forest” are back — over at the Connecticut Magazine site, you can read numerous sightings (in the comments section of an article about them) from seemingly credible people having claimed to have seen them. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service also has a site which welcomes eyewitness reports.

As a person who hikes quite a bit, I think it’d be great to see one, but then again, under the right circumstances — you know, like if I was hiking with three or four. Then the old saying comes into play: “You don’t have to outrun the mountain lion, just at least one of your friends.”

Kate?