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Hi Suzanne
Have examined the image in detail since it was first taken.
The tail is the principal issue,. To begin with, if a cougar, it would be =
much thicker.. at the minimum the thickness of a human wrist. because of=
its massiveness, if it was sticking out at that angle (as in the image), i=
t would appear well beyond the tree, then dip down. As has been pointed =
out, there is nothing there for scale, so the absolute size of the animal i=
s not known.
There re several questions that arise from such reports. The main one is w=
hether there actually is an Eastern Cougar (subspecies). Since the initia=
l COSEWIC report came out designating the "eastern populations" ENDANGERED"=
in 1978, it was reviewed, and its status changed to DATA DEFFICIENT in 199=
8. The reason for this is that there is no physical material from any indiv=
idual animal or any other evidence from reports that would allow for DNA d=
etermination..
Have there been cougar encountered in Nova Scotia... Yes. The best report =
we have actually comes from Nicolas Denys' reports of his stay here (publis=
hed in 1672) where he reports losses of young cattle at his farm in St Pete=
rs. He describes the animal, how it would attack, and, more significantly =
how moose dealt with this threat. His accounts were in French, and transla=
ted by Ganong in 1908 (which also includes the French text). Ganong notes i=
t as an erroneous description of wolverine... but if you red through the ac=
count, it is clear. Since then, there have been sporadic reports, but no p=
hysical evidence to allow for confirmation..
So the challenge still remains.. any physical evidence to allow for confirm=
ation of the species, and DNA. (All confirmed reports from Ontario, Quebec =
and NB have either had Western or Southern genetics)
There is an ecological question that would have to be resolved. That relat=
es to the presence of 4 top carnivores in the area. Bobcat (especially the=
large morph), Lynx (now reported from several part so f the mainland), the=
Coyote, and the Cougar... all doing, more-or-less the same thing, although=
prey size would be somewhat different.
So if you encounter a chunk of fur, scat, or a carcass (or part thereof) or=
know of an old specimen (pelt etc), you could help with the story
Andrew
________________________________
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on beha=
lf of Suzanne Borkowski [suzanneborkowski@yahoo.ca]
Sent: September-14-18 11:54 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Cougar photographed in Antigonish County?
Forgive me for venturing into a discussion between experts, (which I defini=
tely am not) but I have to ask, isn't part of this animal's tail hanging do=
wn the left side of the tree? Or is that just a shadow?
Suzanne Borkowski
On Friday, September 14, 2018 7:11 PM, Stephen Shaw <srshaw@Dal.Ca> wrote:
Strange what folks will accept as evidence for something unexpected, even D=
ave.
If the =91tree=92 by its tail is just a sapling of diameter ~9.1 cm (tricky=
to calculate for sure, it=92s not quite in the same plane as the cat), it =
could be our moggy Lilac (at ~50 cm long, Lilac admittedly is a large mount=
ain puss and overly well fed).
Emphasizes the need for proper calibration in any definitive figure. Extr=
aordinarily weak photo =97 looks blurry and out of focus, and what=92s the =
fan-like optical aberration on the image, Newton=92s rings? Operator needs=
to clean the optics or put in the camera for repair =97 Sasquatch photos a=
re better.
Who said =91extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence=92? I vot=
e house cat, size indeterminate.
Steve (location undisclosed)
----------------------------------------------------------------
On Sep 14, 2018, at 6:29 PM, David <dwebster@glinx.com<mailto:dwebster@glin=
x.com>> wrote:
Hi Randy & All,
I agree Randy. A Cougar has a long tail which would stick out far beyon=
d the nearest tree. And a Lynx has a more compact body. Therefore Bobcat.
Yt, DW, Kentville
------ Original Message ------
From: "bdigout" <bdigout@seaside.ns.ca<mailto:bdigout@seaside.ns.ca>>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: 9/14/2018 6:04:40 PM
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Cougar photographed in Antigonish County?
I know a pretty good trapper who tells me its definitely a Bobcat!
On 14 Sep 2018 16:55, Randy Lauff wrote:
I don't think so. The tail of a cougar would stick out to the left of the c=
losest tree. To me, that tail ends at, or just behind the tree. I'd vote fo=
r bobcat.
Randy
_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.
On 14 September 2018 at 16:29, Ken McKenna <kenmcken54@eastlink.ca<mailto:k=
enmcken54@eastlink.ca>> wrote:
Hard to say but I see what u mean
Ken McKenna
Box 218
Stellarton
NS B0K 1S0
On Sep 14, 2018, at 3:45 PM, Keith Lowe <Mythos25@live.com<mailto:Mythos25@=
live.com>> wrote:
Photos can be deceiving and they have to go on site and measure the trees t=
o be sure of the size but this sure looks like a cougar from this pic.
Keith
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<p>Hi Suzanne</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Have examined the image in detail since it was first taken.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tail is the principal issue,. To begin with, if a cougar, it w=
ould be much thicker.. at the minimum the thickness of a human =
wrist. because of its massiveness, if it was sticking out a=
t that angle (as in the image), it would appear well beyond the
tree, then dip down. As has been pointed out, there is n=
othing there for scale, so the absolute size of the animal is not known.</p=
>
<p> </p>
<p>There re several questions that arise from such reports. The main =
one is whether there actually is an Eastern Cougar&