Yes, that is a real mountain lion. Yes, I took that photo, and no, I didn't need a powerful telephoto lens to do it. (She WAS on the other side of a thick plexiglass window at the Oregon Zoo, however.)
There are cougars, or at least A cougar, right around Boulderneigh. There has been a flurry of sightings this summer, although not all of them I would consider reputable. I have heard no reports of attacks on humans, or loss of pets or livestock. Mountain lions are beautiful, magnificent animals, and the only natural predator for the swarms of black-tail deer in the area. Because they have that abundant food source, I'm not worried for myself or the horses. Brian and the sheep are more their size, but we do keep the sheep in from evening until morning and Brian doesn't play outside unsupervised -- reasonable measures to take since we choose to live in the country. I don't believe all animals for whom this is home should be ousted because I, a human, have arrived. If I don't like the neighbors, I shouldn't move to the neighborhood! (And yes, I know my attitude would change if one of the neighbors got nasty! But we pray that doesn't happen.)
That's it for now at . . .
4 comments:
I agree with you, Michelle. We have cougars here too-although the ones in this neighborhood are black. It's unnerving to know they are there. But they were literally "here first." No one has reported problems with them in all the years I've lived here. (Black bears are another story.)
We have whitetail deer in huge numbers and I think that must keep the cougars well fed. Still hope I never have an encounter with one. And I hope one never decides my farm is a great place to hang out. The more land gets developed though, the more people and cougars cross paths. That's part of the reason why I've left so much of our land in it's natural wooded state. I don't want to interupt the wild travelways so much that animals have to cross my pastures just to get to the next forest. So far that has worked.
I hope your local wild cats leave you and your family and farm alone. Sounds like you are taking good precautions.
A picture of one of my favorite felines! (and neighbors).
I saw you were calling but I was driving and don't talk and drive...had to go in to the surgeon's office this morning. It's been a "zoo" around here!
Nice blogs...I hope to get one up today....keep your fingers crossed!
That is almost a scary picture. Imagine running into that thing at night! I'm always afraid there will be one on top of the haystack in the barn, no idea why I fixate on that spot for a cougar to be.
Becca, that's probably because cougars like to perch up high to survey the "dinner menu"!
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