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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / November 2006large feline seen in Nashville, Tennessee park
There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a cougar or caracal, at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The park is 2,680 acres in size, partly wooded, and is on the outskirts of the city. The caracal is an African variety of the lynx, generally in the 40 pound to 60 pound weight range, and is less likely to attack humans than is a cougar (which is about twice that size). If the cat is a caracal, it would likely be someone's escape exotic pet.  SignatureJohn F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria > There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a > cougar or caracal, at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > humans than is a cougar (which is about twice that size). If the cat > is a caracal, it would likely be someone's escape exotic pet. People there are pretty sure it is a caracal or possibly a Eurasian lynx. http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061118/NEWS01/611180377/1006/NEWS Much less alarming in an inhabited area than a couger, I think. Still a good idea to keep cats and small or medium dogs indoors. Also large dogs that might attack the caracal. Will in New Haven -- "Don't worry too much about being bluffed. D*gs DO bite." _Poker for Cats_ by Feather > -- > John F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com > PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu > "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better > than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria > There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a > cougar or caracal, at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > humans than is a cougar (which is about twice that size). If the cat > is a caracal, it would likely be someone's escape exotic pet. I certainly hope they catch it and get it relocated or returned to its owner before somebody decides to shoot it. Joy > "John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com> wrote in message > > There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a > > cougar or caracal, at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee. > I certainly hope they catch it and get it relocated or returned to > its owner before somebody decides to shoot it. Owner, my foot. People shouldn't "own" wild animals! (My attitude isn't toward you, Joy, but toward people who think it's cool to have exotic pets.) Poor thing probably couldn't be "returned" to the wild - it probably should go to a sanctuary. Joyce > > "John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com> wrote in message > > > There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Poor thing probably couldn't be "returned" to the wild - it probably > should go to a sanctuary. How do you know it hasn't escaped from one rather than being an exotic pet escapee? Tweed > <jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net> wrote in message > >> Owner, my foot. People shouldn't "own" wild animals! >> >> Poor thing probably couldn't be "returned" to the wild - it probably >> should go to a sanctuary. > How do you know it hasn't escaped from one rather than being an exotic pet > escapee? I don't know anything - just expressing an opinion on exotic pet ownership. It could be a puma, in which case it would be a wild animal. But if it is somebody's escaped exotic pet, I don't think it should be returned to the person who has been keeping it. They shouldn't have such a pet to begin with. If it was a sanctuary animal, then I hope it is returned there. If it *can* be returned to the wild, so much the better. Joyce > > <jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net> wrote in message > > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >If it was a sanctuary animal, then I hope it is returned there. If >it *can* be returned to the wild, so much the better. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has expressed the opinion that it is a caracal or an Eurasian lynx, according to the newspaper article that Will cited upthread. I am not aware of any animal sanctuaries in the immediate Nashville area that keep exotic cats, so that would suggest that it is someone's escaped pet. If it has been raised in captivity, it would have to be trained in hunting skills and the like before being released into the wild, and such release would likely have to be in Africa, not here. So, it will most likely end up in an animal sanctuary. Several local news articles have used the phrase "harmless caracal". While a 40-pound cat is unlikely to voluntarily attack humans, I hope no well-meaning amateurs try to capture it on their own. A panicky caracal could do a lot of damage while fighting to escape. SignatureJohn F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria > Several local news articles have used the phrase "harmless caracal". LOL! I guess everything's relative. I mean, compared to a puma, I suppose a caracal doesn't seem too dangerous. But considering the amount of injury a feral felis catus can cause, I wouldn't want to mess with a caracal. (Originally I wrote "feral domestic cat", but that just sounded *wrong*. :)) > While a 40-pound cat is unlikely to voluntarily attack humans, I hope > no well-meaning amateurs try to capture it on their own. A panicky > caracal could do a lot of damage while fighting to escape. It seems irresponsible for newspapers to print such misleading information. Joyce >>> "John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com> wrote in message >>>> There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Tweed No way to know. I've not seen this on the news and it's only 300 miles from me. Sounds like it got out from a zoo or sanctuary. There are a few "country western" singer celebrities who might think it's cool to own an exotic pet, but in that neck of the woods they're more likely to go hunting than collecting. Speaking of zoos... the Memphis zoo was surprised on November 15th by the arrival of a baby giraffe yesterday! The zoo-keepers actually said they didn't know the adult female giraffe was pregant! Well gee, if you're zoo keepers, how could you NOT know? http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5686963 Giraffes are amazing creatures. Like colts and calves, they stand within minutes of birth. Imagine if your bare-kittens could walk a few minutes after you had them! LOL Jill >>> "John F. Eldredge" <john@jfeldredge.com> wrote in message >>>> There have been two sightings of a large, tawny feline, possibly a [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Tweed I think it is just because that usually is the case here in the U.S. It's quite amazing the number of people you find with exotic "pets". |
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