June 5 (UPI) -- Kentucky wildlife officials said reports of a mountain lion on the loose in the state are a "hoax" and that the animal captured on camera has been identified as a bobcat.
One resident reported seeing a cougar in the Richmond area in late May, and this week another resident's doorbell camera captured an image of what some suspected to be a cougar near the Madison County Fairgrounds.
«"At this point, we can only say it's either a domestic cat or a hoax," Lisa Jackson, public information officer for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, told FOX 56 News. "As always, we appreciate receiving original photos of any suspicious incidents.".
Joe Lacefield, a regional biologist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the animal captured in the doorbell camera photo is not a cougar.
«"The blurry photo from the sidewalk at 100% shows a bobcat," he told the Richmond Register.
Kentucky has had no natural cougar population for over a century. In the past 30 years, there have been two confirmed sightings: a female cub struck by a car in Floyd County in 1997, and an adult male shot by a wildlife officer in Bourbon County in 2014. The cub was believed to be a captive cougar that had escaped. The male's origin remained unclear.
«"Any cougar found in the state is likely to be an escaped (or released) captive animal," the Department of Fish and Wildlife's website says.
Bobcats are found throughout Kentucky. Lacefield said they are unlikely to pose a danger to humans, but small pets may be at risk.
While there are no reported escaped cougars in the Richmond area, a kangaroo escaped from its owner's home in the city on Thursday.