Mountain Lion Hoax Hits the Adirondacks

Earlier this week rumors were circulating that a mountain lion had been struck and killed by a car near Black Brook in Clinton County, refueling the controversy over whether or not mountain lions exist within the blue line, or anywhere in New York state for that matter. The photo “evidence,” which has been making the rounds online, shows a lion carcass in the back of a pick-up truck.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has come out and confirmed that the rumor is a hoax. It’s just another version of the mountain lion hoax that has been circulating recently in western New York, as well as Pennsylvania and Ohio.

In its media release, the DEC outlined the following inconsistencies with the photo and e-mail:

Inconsistent Location: Some messages claim that the cougar was hit on Savage Road – there is no such road in Black Brook or in most of the other locations in which it has been reported. Also, no wildlife/vehicle collisions involving a mountain lion have been reported to DEC, in Black Brook or any other locations in New York State.

Inaccurate Information: The hoax message claims that game wardens, Environmental Conservation Officers, or forest rangers responded to this incident. This is not true. No DEC officials responded to a cougar/car collision incident this past weekend, because there was not one that occurred.

Photograph Lacks Detail: Like so many of the hoax cougar photographs circulated before this one, this particular photo being circulated conveniently lacks defining features indicative of location. For instance, it conveniently covers the truck’s license plate and lacks background landscape that would indicate region. The dog crates shown in the back of the pick-up truck are popularly used to transport hunting dogs. It is much more likely that this photo is a hunter’s photo taken somewhere out west.

Circulation: This identical photo has been sent in other areas of the country and state, claiming alternative local locations and explanations of the incident in the text portion of the message.

The mountain lion debate is ongoing and longstanding. Biologists say the cougar disappeared from New York state in the late 19th century; residents insist that they have seen the big cats roaming the woods. Some even blame the DEC for a cover-up. Mark Kandel, Regional Wildlife Manager at the DEC, says there’s no conspiracy on the agency’s part. “We can’t keep that a secret,” he said. “A lot of people think we can keep it a secret, but that would be impossible.”

The DEC has even created a website that addresses some of the more common photographs included in email hoaxes, you can find it here: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/44564.html