A mountain lion report in central Kentucky had some residents doing double takes this week, but wildlife officials say the animal in a widely shared doorbell-camera image was not a cougar.
According to United Press International, the creature seen near Richmond appears to have been a much more familiar Kentucky predator.
What happened?
Talk of a cougar began when a resident reported seeing what they thought was a mountain lion in the Richmond area in late May. Later, another resident's doorbell camera captured a blurry cat near the Madison County fairgrounds, helping fuel online rumors that a cougar might be loose.
But Joe Lacefield, a regional biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the animal in the photo was not a mountain lion. "The blurry sidewalk picture is 100% a bobcat," he said.
Kentucky has been without a native mountain lion population for more than a century. Over the past three decades, UPI noted, there have been only two confirmed sightings: a cub struck by a car in 1997 and an adult male shot by a conservation officer in 2014.
Why does it matter?
A real mountain lion sighting would prompt a very different public response than a bobcat, including concerns about pets and human safety.
TCD Picks » EDF Spotlight
💡EDF's Vital Signs newsletter delivers stories about game-changing solutions close to home and around the world
As neighborhoods expand into wildlife habitat and more homes rely on doorbell cameras, people are increasingly likely to capture fleeting images of wild animals and misidentify them when the footage is grainy. Officials said bobcats are found in every Kentucky county and typically avoid humans, but small pets could still be vulnerable.
What are people saying?
Lisa Jackson, public information officer for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, told Fox 56 News: "As far as we can tell right now, this is some sort of domestic cat or a hoax."
Jackson also encouraged people to keep submitting clearer evidence when something appears unusual. "As always, we appreciate receiving original photos of any questionable sighting," she said.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Cool Picks
