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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u00ab"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.".<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u00ab"The blurry photo from the sidewalk at 100% shows a bobcat," he told the Richmond Register.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u00ab"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.<\/p>\n
Bobcats are found throughout Kentucky. Lacefield said they are unlikely to pose a danger to humans, but small pets may be at risk.<\/p>\n
While there are no reported escaped cougars in the Richmond area, a kangaroo escaped from its owner's home in the city on Thursday.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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