U.S. cougar sightings on the rise

Published: Oct. 6, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Order reprints
CHICAGO, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Cougar sightings are on the rise across the United States, including in the Chicago area, wildlife experts say.

Wildlife ecologist Clay Nielsen, who works at Southern Illinois University's Carbondale campus, said the sudden rise in the number of cougar sightings in Illinois and the rest of the nation should lead to the creation of a center reporting site, the Chicago Tribune said Monday.

"If I had to answer the phone every time someone called with a sighting, I wouldn't get any work done," Nielsen said. "If there was one central agency collecting them, there would be tens of thousands per year."

Officials at Illinois' Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control say they have been receiving an average of 18 cougar sightings each day in the last few weeks.

But the problem remains that most cougar sightings aren't confirmed as authorities often arrive after the reported animals have fled, the Tribune reported.


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Study finds breast cancer over-diagnosed (1 min)
City cracks down on Amtrak mooning (2 min)
Teacher charged with attempted murder (3 min)
Canada's trade deficit up in May (6 min)
UPI NewsTrack TopNews (11 min)
Barbie-Con visitors split on boxes (16 min)
GM sells assets, vows focus on customers (24 min)
fark
Obama to African leaders. Stop blaming colonialism and the G8 for all your problems and corruption....
Disneyland "proposal" was a fake. Well, duh
Research shows people want to know more about their food, until they do, then they wish they didn't...
Mothers Against Drunk Driving not amused with brewery for naming their beers after New Jersey Turnpike...
New York Times forced to remove several photos and issue an apology due to a reader seeing a few...
Physical injuries caused by texting on the rise. EVERYBODY PAN - - (thud)