Although
Mississippi was once home to panthers, there have been no confirmed
sightings in more than 100 years. But the recent killing of a big cat in
Arkansas could indicate they intend to return.
On Nov. 8, a hunter in Bradley County shot and killed a mountain lion. It was only about 80 miles away from Greenville.
According
to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Myron Means, the cat was a
healthy, 148-pound adult male measuring 7 feet, 3 inches from nose to
tail and showed no signs of ever being captive. He was truly a wild
animal.
While that cat is dead, Means, AGFC’s Large Carnivore Coordinator, said there are more where he came from. “I
know we have documented five sightings in the last five years,” Means
said. “Missouri has seen the same thing over the past 15 years. They’ve
seen a gradual increase in sightings. Maybe they’re starting to
establish home ranges. Maybe that’s happening in Arkansas as well.”
Breeding populations
According
to Means, male mountain lions are known to wander farther than females.
Much like black bears, young males tend to strike out on their own. But
with a steady, though slow, increase in confirmed sightings, Means said
it is just a matter of time before the females catch up. “I expect to see more sightings in the future,” Means said. “Five to 10 years down the road, we may have a breeding population. It
may be two years, who knows? ... All it takes is for one female to move
in. Really, at this point, it’s just a matter of time before the
animals establish home ranges.”
Mississippi is in the path and has suitable habitat. The first hurdle is the state line. “He’s
still got to traverse the Mississippi River, but cats do swim,” Richard
Rummel, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks’ Exotic
Species Program director, said.
Even though cats can cross rivers, setting up shop in Mississippi may take a while. “I
think it’s going to be years before we have a breeding population,”
Rummel said. “That’s way down the line. Males and females have to show
up and they have to find each other.”
Another obstacle the cats face in their journey to find new territory is man.
Fraidy cats
Means
said the shooting of the Bradley County mountain lion was the first
recorded killing in Arkansas since 1975. The hunter involved claimed he
felt threatened and was not charged with any wrongdoing. If an animal is considered a threat to someone, a person can legally kill it, Means said.
While
the hunter was not charged with wrongdoing, comments on AGFC’s Facebook
page indicated some were skeptical about him actually being in any
danger. “You’ve got a large carnivore with a lot of negative
folklore associated with it,” Means said. “I really hope it doesn’t open
a can of worms where a bunch of trigger-happy guys start shooting them. If you’re going to claim self defense, it better be a good reason.”
In Mississippi, Rummel said it better be a really good reason.
Mississippi
is in the historic range of the Florida panther, which varies little
from the mountain lion, as it is called in western states. But unlike
its western cousin, the Florida panther is endangered and federally
protected. According to Dave Onorato, a research scientist with
Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s Florida Panther Project, there
are only 100 to 180 Florida panthers.
Because we are within the
panthers’ historic range, Rummel said the intentional killing of a big
cat in Mississippi will be treated as the killing of an endangered
species. “You can expect a visit from federal and state officials
who will thoroughly investigate,” Rummel said. He also noted that the
mere presence of a panther does not constitute an immediate threat.
If a panther is encountered, Rummel had some advice. “You want to avoid eye contact,” Rummel said. “Back away. Wave your arms. Wave a jacket or shirt. Whatever you do, don’t turn and run. That could trigger a predator response.”
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