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Magazine seeks mountain lion “trade” information
Hello all,
My name is Amanda Bloom, editor and founder of TheMercurial.com, a Greater Danbury, Connectiut-based web magazine. I have heard from a few different sources that there was a deliberate reintroduction of mountain lions into the state by the DEP. I am looking for firsthand information regarding this. If anyone has any information or leads, please contact me at (203)417-2215 or [email protected].
It's quite clear that mountain lions are here, and it seems odd that state departments are still denying this fact. The implications of continued denial are dangerous.
Thanks for the help.
Sincerely,
Amanda Bloom
TheMercurial.com
[email protected]
August 15th, 2011 - 13:53
I don’t have any firsthand info but I too have heard the same rumor. The story I heard was that a number if years ago the state released 6 mountain lions in the northwest corner of CT to help control the overpopulation of deer. It was rumored that instead of releasing all 6 of the same gender 3 males and 3 females were released, so a chance that breeding occurred was possible. I heard this story from a former state police officer but I do not remember his name
August 15th, 2011 - 18:40
A former DEP officer that writes for the Norwich Bulletin claims that some hunters released a pair of mountain lion cubs in the northwest corner of CT back in the late 60s. You can read about it here:
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/columnists/x1314055769/Bob-Sampson-Killed-mountain-lion-rare-in-many-ways#axzz1V8bkjEG7
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports/x1059353761#axzz1V8bkjEG7
August 25th, 2011 - 05:29
About 12 years ago while working at the Health Department in Hartford, a DEP employee told me that they had released breeding pairs of mountain lion in CT to curb the deer population as there were too many accidents involving deer and cars. It would be way too expensive for the State of CT to admit they released the mountain lion as they are protected and this would be too costly.
August 25th, 2011 - 07:42
DEP would never do this, really. If you look at institutional trends, they do very little that takes ingenuity and effort, and they don’t want to have to manage MLs - or a freaked citizenry - in CT. Waiting for retirement is their biggest challenge.