RCruz
04-23-2008, 10:21 PM
Im sitting here watching the news and the Cougar shot on the Northside of Chicago is getting national attention. Any one who takes the time to know me knows what a huge animal lover I am. I pretty much like everything the Great maker has crafted the big cats are no exception.
Cougars go by many names, Puma, mountain lion, catamount, panther. Historically they ranged from Alaska to Argentina. When Europeans reached the shores of Eastern North America the Puma was there to greet them.Like most predators they tend not to get along with livestock. The puma was systematically exterminated as North Americans moved westward. The Eastern race of them have been considered extinct since the mid 1800s.
Pumas are considered the second most powerful cat in the world next to the Leopard. They can vertically jump 20 feet from a still position. They can drag a deer a 100lbs heavier then themselves a mile from where they kill it. They are an apex predator and only have to fear man. Something they need to learn quick. They were never eliminated west of the Rockies. They have lived near people along the northern plains, all along the upper pacific coast, throughout Canada and Alaska. They have and do kill people. Usually Children who are not near their parents. Mountain bikers, hunters, hikers all have been killed. Since 1991 72 people have been killed by this big cat, more have been mauled. They are dangerous. Thing is I don't understand why more people are not killed. There are a lot of these cats about and most states deny or don't take sightings of these animals seriously. Truth is most of them are quite shy and fear people. They do what ever they can to avoid people. They don't want to eat humans deer are their choice. Like most predators they are opportunistic and especially if they are old or injured they may attempt to take a person.
I guess what I really want to say is get use to the Puma showing up especially here in the Chicago area. These animals are being pushed out of their habitat in Wisconsin and further north. Not by people but by their own kind. They have huge territories. Especially the males who have over lapping territory with several females. Every Two years a female will give birth to 1-4 cubs. Once they leave their mother at two years of age they wander to areas that are unoccupied by their own kind. Its not really hard to do. A young puma just has to follow the river systems looking for a suitable place to live. The one killed here in Chicago was a young male that I will bet followed the North branch of the Chicago River right into Chicago. The living is easy with a deer population dying of old age. Its a deer eating predator's dream. This cat is considered on of the most adaptable big cats in the world. All they need to do is learn to become completely nocturnal and anyone who sees one is just kinda laughed at. I have friends who have seen these animals just 40 miles from my home, FOR YEARS. Its never taken seriously. Guess what? They will be from now on. I suspect a few may be in the many large forest preserves that are south of Chicago itself. The smart ones will make it undetected and safe. That is the way of living things. If there is something to eat there will be something there to eat it. Since nothing eats the deer in this state anymore it was only a matter of time.
Cougars go by many names, Puma, mountain lion, catamount, panther. Historically they ranged from Alaska to Argentina. When Europeans reached the shores of Eastern North America the Puma was there to greet them.Like most predators they tend not to get along with livestock. The puma was systematically exterminated as North Americans moved westward. The Eastern race of them have been considered extinct since the mid 1800s.
Pumas are considered the second most powerful cat in the world next to the Leopard. They can vertically jump 20 feet from a still position. They can drag a deer a 100lbs heavier then themselves a mile from where they kill it. They are an apex predator and only have to fear man. Something they need to learn quick. They were never eliminated west of the Rockies. They have lived near people along the northern plains, all along the upper pacific coast, throughout Canada and Alaska. They have and do kill people. Usually Children who are not near their parents. Mountain bikers, hunters, hikers all have been killed. Since 1991 72 people have been killed by this big cat, more have been mauled. They are dangerous. Thing is I don't understand why more people are not killed. There are a lot of these cats about and most states deny or don't take sightings of these animals seriously. Truth is most of them are quite shy and fear people. They do what ever they can to avoid people. They don't want to eat humans deer are their choice. Like most predators they are opportunistic and especially if they are old or injured they may attempt to take a person.
I guess what I really want to say is get use to the Puma showing up especially here in the Chicago area. These animals are being pushed out of their habitat in Wisconsin and further north. Not by people but by their own kind. They have huge territories. Especially the males who have over lapping territory with several females. Every Two years a female will give birth to 1-4 cubs. Once they leave their mother at two years of age they wander to areas that are unoccupied by their own kind. Its not really hard to do. A young puma just has to follow the river systems looking for a suitable place to live. The one killed here in Chicago was a young male that I will bet followed the North branch of the Chicago River right into Chicago. The living is easy with a deer population dying of old age. Its a deer eating predator's dream. This cat is considered on of the most adaptable big cats in the world. All they need to do is learn to become completely nocturnal and anyone who sees one is just kinda laughed at. I have friends who have seen these animals just 40 miles from my home, FOR YEARS. Its never taken seriously. Guess what? They will be from now on. I suspect a few may be in the many large forest preserves that are south of Chicago itself. The smart ones will make it undetected and safe. That is the way of living things. If there is something to eat there will be something there to eat it. Since nothing eats the deer in this state anymore it was only a matter of time.