Dog Community

Sad Sad Story From Chicago. (NDR-Wildlife involved)

Posted : 4/15/2008 10:37:18 AM

Here is a sad sad story from Chicago. Today the police cornered and killed a Mountain Lion (Cougar), yes folks, you heard me right.

If you read the story you will see there is a great chance this is a Cougar that was seen in South Western Wisconsin earlier this year, late last year that was, through DNA testing, determined to be a wild Cougar from the Black Hills of South Dakota area. The real deal.

There have been several reported sighting of this animal over the past few months, my guess is it is the Wisconsin Cougar and not some exotic pet turned loose. Either way it is a shame that they had to kill it, it would have been and was the last time one had been seen in the state of Illinois in almost 100 years if it turns out to be the wild one.

The animal was killed about 5 blocks from where I grew up as a child.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-chicago-cougar-shot-webapr15,0,98147.story

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/15/2008 11:46:15 AM

Always sad when nature and people collide.

This was one seriously well fed cat tho...not looking like a wild animal just coming off Winter to me. IMO it was full of cats and dogs from the neighborhood, for months...or had been getting fed by someone as their "pet".

My .02...most Cougars I have seen come willingly into man's world have been thin and desparate for food.

Very sad story tho.

g33

Posted : 4/15/2008 11:46:30 AM

I just saw this (I live in the Chicago area) and am so sad about it. I am sure the cops can get a tranquilizer gun handy, I don't understand why they had to shoot it with 10 bullets. I understand the cougar was in a residential area, hopping over fences, and if there were kids in the yard, that would be scary. I just wish the poor fella didn't have to die. If some SOB was keeping this thing as a pet, all I can say is I hope karma is a bitch.

Truley

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:06:50 PM

Actually sightings of the big cats have persisted throughout northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin for ohhh, the last 4 or 5 years. Mainly in low residential area's like Spring Grove, Antioch, Lake Villa and Lindenhurst. These towns all border the Wisconsin border, have creeks, a river, large bodies of water or marsh area's and dense tree cover. Near Lindenhurst there a huge track of land owned by Temple farms, I know they allow no hunting and deer there number the thousands. Perfect area for a cat to hide and eat easy.

I talked to my Wisconsinite sister, she said they think it is a different cat than the one sighted west of her, this one seems smaller. Will be interesting.

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:14:16 PM

Truley
Will be interesting

Very!

I wonder if they had predation or losses in that area for pets. It's always possible it could have been eating the food left for feral cats and some of the cats themselves...or heck someone could have been feeding a wild cougar too because they thought it was "cool". People have done stupider things...

But it's condition looks great...which is why it's odd that'd it'd come around people...unless there was some benefit.

But the animal usually is the one that pays the piper.

g33

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:24:37 PM

Well here in Chicago suburbs, we have a coyote issue that causes a lot of small dogs and cats to "go missing" so it is possible that the cat could have been lunching on pets but that the losses have been attributed to the coyotes.

rwbeagles

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:28:28 PM

oh yes..coyotes! Lots of the newer subdivisions by Dallas proper have gotten issues with those. They are bold critters! Sitting right out in the parks and on walking trails while the newspaper man videos them! LOL.

I have had them running the back fence a night or two...not in a long while tho...think they moved on.

DPU

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:29:37 PM

Given that it happened in Wilmette, a very affluent suburb, I am not surprised by the police action. If it was in Chicago, I believe the cougar would have had a different ending.

g33

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:31:11 PM

It was sighted in Wilmette on Saturday, but ultimately was killed in the Roscoe Village area of Chicago.

DPU

Posted : 4/15/2008 12:40:48 PM

g33

It was sighted in Wilmette on Saturday, but ultimately was killed in the Roscoe Village area of Chicago.

Yes, I just read the Tribune article. I am sure there will now be an investigation. It said the cat was shot at 18 times in the neighborhood. Thats a lot of bullets flying around.

g33

Posted : 4/15/2008 1:05:33 PM

When I looked at the article online, it had 880 comments!!! I didn't read any of them though.

I wish I knew why no one had a dart gun.

timsdat

Posted : 4/15/2008 1:10:50 PM

g33
I wish I knew why no one had a dart gun.

It takes specialized training and certifications to be able to use a trank gun. I would be willing to bet that on one with those qualifications was available.

lorib

Posted : 4/15/2008 3:48:43 PM

We have regular bear/cougar sightings in the Portland area. It's very common. Usually, a tranq gun is available and the animal is transported far away.

g33

Posted : 4/15/2008 4:23:24 PM

Update to the story with the Mayor's response: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-cougar-shot-webapr16,0,1215541.story

Sounds like animal care & control was on the way, but could not get there fast enough. Unfortunate this had to happen, but I think the Mayor is right: the cat was sighted in a school parking lot, and this happened at 5:30pm when folks are out and about.

Infiniti

Posted : 4/15/2008 4:33:59 PM

I had heard about the big cat on my way to work yesterday, and was sad to read about its demise. It does seem quite tragic that the cougar had to die. I couldn't believe it when I heard about it though...I just remember thinking "a cougar!?....here?!". But I suppose if we have coyotes in my neighborhood, it's not an incredible stretch to think there could be other big animals.

Honor and I came face to face with a coyote the other night...freaked me out! Stick out tongue