Even if they are escaped pets or cougars that have migrated from the west, what does it matter if they are reproducing? They eventually become part of the ecosystem. The Elk were transplanted here they are no more natural then the cougars.
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Fascinating stuff
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...nclick_check=1
http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2012/...k-documentary/
Doesn't prove anything with respect to Cougars in Ont, but does illustrate how even in smaller, more densely populated regions of NA, getting the proof everyone expects to have happened is no sure thing. Especially if it may only be a handful or two.
Why now? Why these past 10 years after 100 years?
For the same reasons I might guess. Ontario is huge, and despite our population (concentrated in just a couple areas)...........
They are a solitary creature, they have a huge range (500km) and very elusive.
If you were a cougar in other places where humans are growing like weeds, wouldn't you look for an area where there's lots of wilderness and fewer humans? Ontario, relative to basically everything around would look really, really good
That was actually a brain cramp Species, likely a result of not enough coffee yet, I suppose you've never suffered one.
If you want to focus on that one little bone and split hair rather than point/message. Knock yourself out, I have better things to do.
Just give it a rest boys! Think what you want but we've all shared our opinions and we know what one another thinks about the subject. I firmly beleave that they are here and NO ONE is gonna convince me otherwise. You aren't gonna change any ones opinion by beating a dead horse. Till you've got something to say about like a sighting or a picture of one tell us all about it, it too bad that 'Justin.benji's post was shot down by so Many people. The guy thought he photographed a cougar and he just showed us, whether it was a cougar or not no need for people to open there mouths I they are going to just shoot him down. It's one thing to say "Nope, I see a rock" but it's another thing to tell him to 'lay off the crack like a few people did.
I am certain that cougars exist in Ontario an I'm sure some of you guys feel very different. But these post are getting old. If you have a picture, or a story I would really love to hear it, so please share! But if your going to jus constantly tell us there there are no cougars here without anything intelligent to add- bump your post count somewhere eles :)
I'm aware that this is a discussion board. And I'm not botherd by people sharing there opinion, but now that we've all let eachother know how we feel, why keep harping it? All I'm saying is by telling me (or others who think we have cougars) that they simply don't exist is not going to change any ones opinion.
If you haven't figured it out yet certain topics like this one always attract alot of attention and activity. If it bothers you don't tell other people to move on. There are threads here that go into hundreds of posts of mostly repetitive arguing, nature of the beast.
I like to believe that there are Cougars in Ontario... I agree, it's odd that they have avoided the camera lens somehow...
But there have been sightings and hard evidence, taken and investigated by credible sources....
Nobody seems to know whether they are native or immigrants or escapees, but I believe they are here.
......and no doubt, if I'm ever lucky enough to see one, many of you folks will think I was on crack or something.:D
Here's the research paper from the MNR's study. I found it quite interesting.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...47883778,d.aWM
http://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.c...../1187