Published: May 14, 2008 10:15 am      

Big cat

Cougar report merits caution but not panic, officials say

The reported sighting of a cougar in Caldwell County earlier this month should serve notice to rural residents but not promote panic, officials say.

According to Sgt. Paul Cowan of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the animal was spotted by a resident in the 300 block of White Sands Trail near McMahan on May 5.

The caller said the big cat was at his gate, Cowan said, at approximately 12:52 p.m.

Cowan said the man called animal control and an officer responded, though it took about 20 minutes for him to reach the scene.

“He spent about 30 minutes trying to locate it but didn’t see it after that. The cat probably just moved on.”

Cowan said he personally inspected the carcass of a doe that had been killed by a cougar last year near Luling and a few years before that, one was suspected of killing hogs near Martindale.

“It’s not uncommon” for them to be sighted, Cowan said, as their range can encompass more than 100 miles. And, like other wildlife, dry conditions may cause them to be out seeking food at times they would otherwise not be active.

Although Texas Parks and Wildlife says cougar sightings have been reported in all of Texas’ 254 counties, many reports don’t pan out. Agency spokesman Tom Harvey and biologist John Young said a recent report of a cougar in Brushy Creek subdivision north of Austin, which included a photo snapped by the person who made the report, turned out unfounded.

“A wildlife biologist looked at it and it turned out to be a large house cat,” Harvey said. Young added that nearby prints turned out to be those of a dog.

“Ninety nine percent of (reports) we take in are not mountain lion sightings,” Young said, adding that many times people don’t get a good look because the typical sighting lasts only 8 to 10 seconds.

Young said anyone who thinks they see a mountain lion should not approach the animal. “Keep your eye on it, and if it shows interest raise your arms to try to make yourself look bigger and stomp your feet. That should frighten them off,” he said. “Most times they won’t show much interest in people and even if they notice you they keep going. Mountain lion attacks are extremely rare, but they are well publicized when they occur.”

Parks and Wildlife has protocol concerning big cat complaints, Harvey said. “It has a threshold of different types of encounters ranging from I thought I heard one at night to I saw one to one approached me to one bit me. There’s a whole range of different things that require different responses on our part.”

Cowan advised those in rural areas, or new subdivisions located close to the wildlife interface, realize that “wild animals are out there” including coyotes and bobcats. “We do have some cougars that float around and some pretty good sized bobcats,” he said.

“If you have a small child or small children you really need to watch it. Fortunately we haven’t had anybody say they’ve been attacked by any of these animals, but you just have to be aware they are out there.”

To report a sighting, call (512) 389-8047.