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Fascinating, Andrew.=C2=A0 Thanks, so much.
Suzanne
=20
On Saturday, September 15, 2018 8:53 AM, "Hebda, Andrew J" <Andrew.Hebd=
a@novascotia.ca> wrote:
=20
#yiv4702320390 P {MARGIN-BOTTOM:0px;MARGIN-TOP:0px;}Hi Suzanne=C2=A0Have e=
xamined the image in detail since it was first taken.=C2=A0The tail is the =
principal issue,.=C2=A0 To begin with, if a cougar, it would be=C2=A0 much =
thicker..=C2=A0 at the minimum the thickness of a human wrist.=C2=A0 becaus=
e of its massiveness,=C2=A0if it=C2=A0was sticking out at that angle (as in=
the image), it would appear well beyond the tree, then dip down.=C2=A0=C2=
=A0=C2=A0 As has been pointed out, there is nothing there for scale, so the=
absolute size of the animal is not known.=C2=A0There re several questions =
that arise from such reports.=C2=A0 The main one is whether there actually =
is an Eastern Cougar=C2=A0 (subspecies).=C2=A0 Since the initial COSEWIC re=
port came out designating the "eastern populations" ENDANGERED" in 1978, it=
was reviewed, and its status changed to DATA DEFFICIENT in 1998. The reaso=
n for this is that there is no physical material from any individual animal=
or any other evidence from reports that would=C2=A0 allow for DNA determin=
ation..=C2=A0=C2=A0Have there been cougar encountered in Nova Scotia... Yes=
.=C2=A0 The best report we have actually comes from Nicolas Denys' reports =
of his stay here (published in 1672) where he reports losses of young cattl=
e at his farm in St Peters.=C2=A0 He describes the animal, how it would att=
ack, and, more significantly how moose dealt with this threat.=C2=A0 His ac=
counts were in French, and translated by Ganong in 1908 (which also include=
s the French text).=C2=A0Ganong notes it as an erroneous description of wol=
verine... but if you red through the account, it is clear.=C2=A0 Since then=
, there have been sporadic reports, but no physical evidence to allow for c=
onfirmation..=C2=A0So the challenge still remains.. any physical evidence t=
o allow for confirmation of the species, and DNA. (All confirmed reports fr=
om Ontario, Quebec and NB have either had Western or Southern genetics)=C2=
=A0There is an ecological question that would have to be resolved.=C2=A0 Th=
at relates to the presence of 4 top carnivores in the area.=C2=A0 Bobcat (e=
specially the large morph), Lynx (now reported from several part so f the m=
ainland), the Coyote, and the Cougar... all doing, more-or-less the same th=
ing, although prey size would be somewhat different.=C2=A0=C2=A0So if you e=
ncounter a chunk of fur, scat, or a carcass (or part thereof) or know of an=
old specimen (pelt etc), you could help with the story=C2=A0AndrewFrom: na=
turens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on behalf of Su=
zanne Borkowski [suzanneborkowski@yahoo.ca]
Sent: September-14-18 11:54 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Cougar photographed in Antigonish County?
Forgive me for venturing into a discussion between experts, (which I defini=
tely am not) but I have to ask, isn't part of this animal's tail hanging do=
wn the left side of the tree? Or is that just a shadow?
Suzanne Borkowski
On Friday, September 14, 2018 7:11 PM, Stephen Shaw <srshaw@Dal.Ca> wrote:
Strange what folks will accept as evidence for something unexpected, even D=
ave.=C2=A0=C2=A0If the =E2=80=98tree=E2=80=99 by its tail is just a sapling=
of diameter ~9.1 cm (tricky to calculate for sure, it=E2=80=99s not quite =
in the same plane as the cat), it could be our moggy Lilac (at ~50 cm long,=
Lilac admittedly is a large mountain puss and overly well fed). =C2=A0
Emphasizes the need for proper calibration in any definitive figure. =C2=A0=
Extraordinarily weak photo =E2=80=94 looks blurry and out of focus, and wh=
at=E2=80=99s the fan-like optical aberration on the image, Newton=E2=80=99s=
rings? =C2=A0Operator needs to clean the optics or put in the camera for r=
epair =E2=80=94 Sasquatch photos are better.=C2=A0=C2=A0Who said =E2=80=98e=
xtraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence=E2=80=99? =C2=A0 I vote =
house cat, size indeterminate.Steve (location undisclosed)
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On Sep 14, 2018, at 6:29 PM, David <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:
#yiv4702320390 --blockquote.yiv4702320390cite {PADDING-LEFT:10px;MARGIN-LEF=
T:5px;BORDER-LEFT:#cccccc 1px solid;PADDING-RIGHT:0px;MARGIN-RIGHT:0px;}#yi=
v4702320390 BLOCKQUOTE.yiv4702320390cite2 {PADDING-TOP:0px;PADDING-LEFT:10p=
x;MARGIN-LEFT:5px;BORDER-LEFT:#cccccc 1px solid;MARGIN-TOP:3px;PADDING-RIGH=
T:0px;MARGIN-RIGHT:0px;}#yiv4702320390 A IMG {BORDER-TOP:0px;BORDER-RIGHT:0=
px;BORDER-BOTTOM:0px;BORDER-LEFT:0px;}#yiv4702320390 {LIST-STYLE-POSITION:i=
nside;}#yiv4702320390 {LIST-STYLE-POSITION:inside;}#yiv4702320390 BODY {FON=
T-SIZE:12pt;FONT-FAMILY:Segoe UI;}Hi Randy & All,
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0I agree Randy. A Cougar has a long tail which would=
stick out far beyond the nearest tree. And a Lynx has a more compact body.=
Therefore Bobcat.=C2=A0Yt, DW, Kentville
------ Original Message ------From: "bdigout" <bdigout@seaside.ns.ca>To: na=
turens@chebucto.ns.caSent: 9/14/2018 6:04:40 PMSubject: Re: [NatureNS] Coug=
ar photographed in Antigonish County?
I know a pretty good trapper who tells me its definitely a Bobcat!On 14 Sep=
2018 16:55, Randy Lauff wrote:
I don't think so. The tail of a cougar would stick out to the left of the c=
losest tree. To me, that tail ends at, or just behind the tree. I'd vote fo=
r bobcat.=C2=A0Randy
_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County, NS.
On 14 September 2018 at 16:29, Ken McKenna <kenmcken54@eastlink.ca> wrote:
Hard to say but I see what u mean=C2=A0
Ken McKennaBox 218 =C2=A0Stella