Mountain Lion Fever Strikes in Western NY

[BlueKota]

Okay so somebody a couple of weeks ago posted a video of what looked to be a a large wild cat in Rochester, NY passing by garbage cans in a suburban neighborhood. Several people have reported seeing it from a distance as well. The most recent reports come from Greece, NY, where one lady also found large scat in her yard that looks like it's larger than a domestic animal would produce. DEC says they don't have any concrete evidence that there is really one in the area.

That hasn't stopped people from having a bit of silliness with the notion, and multiple businesses owners from using it as an advertising gimmick. Several have used AI and photo shop to make it appear the mountain lion has stopped in their bank, their car dealership, their restaurant, etc. One guy in a nearby town even bought a lifesize made replica of one and put it in front of his ice cream shop.

I understand the need to have a little fun because of the times we are living in. I just hope no humans, pets, or the mountain lion itself gets injured or worse, if there really is one out there. The local zoo is not missing any of it's big cats, so it's possible some one was illegally keeping a mountain lion, and it either escaped or they let it go fearing they'd get caught. If that's the case I hope they catch the responsible parties.

[Tom Dyer]

1. A couple of years ago, I was sitting on my front porch with a friend.

I was in Downtown New Orleans.
A bobcat rounded the corner right across the street from me. My friend and I just stared. 3:00 in the afternoon, 6 blocks from the French Quarter.

[BlueKota]

2. Oh wow!

I'd be equal parts curious and scared.

[markodochartaigh]

3. If anyone, anywhere in the continental US

says that it is impossible for a mountain lion to be around here, show them this:

https://www.reuters.com/article/world/uk/mountain-lion-killed-in-connecticut-prowled-east-from-s-dakota-idUSTRE76Q5ZE/

[BlueKota]

4. So it is possible that there is one in Rochester

that is an actual wild one. The article does mention New York.

[markodochartaigh]

5. Absolutely possible.

And it could even have wandered from the Midwest. We think of birds turning up occasionally a thousand miles from their range, it is amazing that animals can do that as well.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

6. I'm in western New York and heard all about it!

The ice cream guy got his mountain lion replica from eBay.

[BlueKota]

7. That's funny about the ebay purchase.

🤣