Cougar Update
October 1, 2006
Cougar Track
Bear Track
Tracks are From Bear Tracker
The other day I shared a story out of the Pilot reporting about a wildlife expert’s opinion that a large cat is on the loose in Moore County. He had seen tracks that suggested a large cat was working the area and he surmised it was most likely a cougar. Well the experts in Raleigh disagree and they believe the evidence suggests the animal in question is a black bear.
State wildlife officials now say that what local experts thought were the footprints of a large cat near Youngs Road were actually bear tracks.
Local Wildlife Control agent Paul Tillman said that Jonathan Shaw, an expert with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission, called him after looking at the photographs of the prints early Thursday afternoon and said that the tracks belong to a black bear.
Shaw stated in an e-mail that there are several reasons that the tracks likely belong to a bear. “There are five toe prints not four. … The width and arc of the pad are characteristic of a bear,” he stated. “The overall shape of the track is not circular like a cat track would be. … There have been known bears in the area, there have not been any known big cats in the area.”
Well either the local expert is not much of an expert because he can’t count toes or there is more to this story. Unfortunately the images that the “experts” looked at have not been published.
Moose Droppings is a place that chronicles my journey, Ill explore new places and ideas Ill learn new things and Ill teach the things Ive learned to others. Join me on the adventure and hopefully it will help you in your outdoor endeavors.
That is so odd; these tracks don’t even look similar.
[...] Expert” working with County Animal Control identified them as cougar tracks. Shortly there after “State Wildlife Experts” identified them as bear tracks. At the time I was somewhat suspect of the findings but not being able to see the photos [...]