HomeRhode Island DEM AGAIN attempts to bury sightings and confirmation!
Recently, there have been more reports of sightings of a mountain lion in the Matunuck area
in Rhode Island. Back in 2011, Rhode Island DEM responded to one of these, and denied there
was a mountain lion sighted.
The witnesses disagreed.
All the details http://narragansett.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/matunuck-cat-sighting-not-a-mountain-lion-witnesses-disagree
After the witnesses got insistent, and contacted the Rhode Island Environmental police, a
proper investigation was then done. The evidence was confirmed by several national experts.
It is now listed on cougarnet as a confirmation. http://www.cougarnet.org/bigpicture.html
Now, more sightings and deer kill sites have been reported. So what does Rhode Island DEM do?
Say the party line: "Brown said the last confirmed record of a mountain lion in Rhode Island
was in 1847. He said a DNA trace of the mountain lion killed in Connecticut showed its migration
path came from other areas including New York state and North Dakota."
The complete new story is here: http://www.independentri.com/news/south_kingstown/article_693aeb25-46c4-5ec0-9c19-15190ec62b04.html
So the confirmation was "forgotten", and that party line about the cat that walked from North
(Actually South) Dakota in a freak occurrence again comes out. We have posted elsewhere on the
credibility of that story. It was also alleged that this cat in 2011 was the same one killed
on the road in Milford. The problem? It was seen AFTER that kill. NOW, more reports in that
area. Clearly another black eye for DEM if any of this confirms.
Just for the record, the DEM themselves reversed their conclusion after a third party
(Enviro Police) slapped them up side the head with the evidence at the scene. Tracks,
bite marks, drag marks, method of kill, etc. etc. Nothing very hidden, it was all obvious.
And of course, several reliable witnesses the described the cat in great detail.
In case you haven't seen the detail on the 2011 incident here are some references:
http://narragansett.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/matunuck-cat-sighting-reviewed-dem-changes-original-position
http://www.cougarnet.org/northeast-desc/RIpublished%20cougar%20story12-16-12.pdf
Clearly Rhode Island DEM has ZERO credibility when it comes to investigating these.
Outside third party investigation must be done. As you can see, there is a pattern
of state agencies warping what they tell the public about these sightings.
September 2nd, 2014 - 10:36
You misspelled Matunuck.
I’m from Matunuck and I agree with your comments on the credibility of the DEM in Rhode Island. It seems that they are just lazy, or incompident.
There is definetly a small, but thriving popultation of cougars in the farmland of Matunuck. I have seen first hand, 2 adolescent mountain lions and their mother. I have also seen mutilated carcasses of deer that clearly show evidence of a big cat attack.
I’ve spoken to farmers and other residents who own large areas of open farmland in Matunuck who claim to have seen mountain lions and/or evidence of them in the area.
With one of the highest populations of white tailed deer in Rhode Island, it’s easy to see how they have established a home as the new apex predators in the area- replacing the former dominant predator, the eastern coyote.
September 2nd, 2014 - 10:44
You are correct, I fixed my error. Most of the wildlife agencies are in denial. Its just a matter of time before better evidence comes forth.
October 14th, 2014 - 17:19
you misspelled incompetent
June 23rd, 2015 - 22:37
You spelled incompetent wrong…..must not have spell check…lol
June 23rd, 2015 - 22:59
boy tough crowd here 🙂
September 5th, 2014 - 21:28
I live in Rockville Rhode Island near the Connecticut border and I just got a video on my trail cam two days ago on 9/3/14 of what I think is a mountain lion for sure I hear Mountain lion screams when their mating every year around my neck of the woods. it’s definitely not a bobcat with a long tail like it has in my video. Search on YouTube for Mountain Lion Rockville RI and you will find my video.
There’s no doubt these things are here I don’t know why you’re not acknowledged.
September 7th, 2014 - 07:27
Man, sure looks right…..can you guess the weight??? To me, it seems young and light, but the tail is clear!
September 7th, 2014 - 07:30
Then again, is it impossible for it to be a large house cat??? You own a trail cam and you know the location, so I bet you could have a good estimation of size. The tail, while long enough, just seems too thin…..thanks
September 7th, 2014 - 17:39
Hi Jason,
I am part of CT Mountain Liom group. I would like to go out where the video was taken so we can confirm the area and also do a scale sizing of the cat. Please contact me.
Sincerely,
Randy Osga
401-952-7435
[email protected]
September 24th, 2014 - 10:13
CT Mtn Lion Group, Did you ever confirm this?
September 25th, 2014 - 21:17
Randy will have to post on that, but its definite that the DEM totally ignored the past confirmation out there and lied to the public that none have ever been confirmed.
July 22nd, 2015 - 16:12
Wow I wish I had gotten some notification of any of these messages where they actually happened
July 22nd, 2015 - 16:14
You’re welcome to come look at the site where I have the camera set up and stuff, have not heard any of the noises or had any new video of the cat
September 7th, 2014 - 20:54
I cant tell but I’m guessing you’ve caught enough other animals on that trail cam to tell the cat was a mountain lion so congrats to you if you got one, I hope they can verify it. whenever I hiked long pond in hopkinton I always thought it would be ideal for bear/mountain lion dens if they were in this state. he seemed to notice the camera activate and walk away from it.
July 22nd, 2015 - 16:19
Yeah the funny thing about this is I don’t know how the animal saw the camera or knew it was there because it can go off in front of you and not make any sound and is completely blacked out… It seemed to just know it was being watched all of a sudden
July 24th, 2015 - 10:17
We have seen that before. They apparently detect the scent or something. In time they will not avoid them anymore.
July 22nd, 2015 - 16:20
Yeah the funny thing about this is I don’t know how the animal saw the camera or knew it was there because it can go off in front of you and not make any sound and is completely blacked out… It seemed to just know it was being watched all of a sudden?
November 9th, 2014 - 14:13
Jason, we live in West Greenwich, across from W. Alton Jones. Last week right after it got dark I was reading in the 3 season room and startled to hear what sounded like a stereotypical mountain lion snarl. Last night after I went to sleep my husband heard it, ran and got it phone and recorded the tail end or the call/snarl growl. It is unmistakably a large cat and from websites, not a bobcat, but just like a mountain lion. We will be informing DEM but they tend to dismiss things until they observe them for themselves, they will tend to dismiss. Be cautious with your recordings and your pets please. They may shy away from people but this is breeding season and they are extremely powerful. My husband lived in California and knows their sound well. They are nothing to mess around with. With so much new forest cover it is not at all surprising these territorial animals have returned!
September 24th, 2014 - 08:17
Just last night a mountain lion, likely a juvenile, darted out in front of my car on RT 4 in the Wickford area.
As a child, my neighbor kept one as a pet. So, I do know what I am seeing!!
October 14th, 2014 - 17:18
I saw one this morning along I-95 near Richmond RI. It was unmistakable.
April 14th, 2015 - 14:31
We live in South Tiverton, near Adamsville/Little Compton line, and last night at just about dusk, as my husband was coming home, he spotted a large, orange-toned, cat out near our back woodpile. He said it was about the size of a med to lg dog, and it stayed there for quite a few mins, and wasn’t easily spooked by his arrival. We have alot of deer and wild turkeys in the area, but this is a first for a large cat.
April 14th, 2015 - 20:36
Hi,
I am part of the research team for this website. Could you please give me a call, so I can arrange a meeting to see if there any tracks in the area.
Sincerely,
Randy Osga
401-952-7435
April 16th, 2015 - 15:26
Hi Randy, got your email. Will ask my husband to give you a call when he gets home. You’re welcome to come look for tracks.
July 15th, 2015 - 22:21
I just stumbled on this sight - here’s my FB posting from last fall: “November 17, 2014 · East Greenwich, RI ·
Call me crazy…but I’m certain I saw a mountain lion/cougar in my backyard last night. I’m afraid to go out with the dog. DEM suggested it was a bob cat (no, it had a long tail) or a fisher cat (no it wasn’t a fluffy tail either). YIKES. Everything I’ve read makes me think I’m wrong, but the pictures on line are pretty convincing for me.” I live off of School Street in Davisville. The cat had it’s back to me crouched down in front of my shed with it’s head lower than it’s butt. It appeared to be looking at yard waste bags. I had just been out there w/my dog testing motion lights. The motion light went on, I glances out the window and saw it. Never saw it again.
October 5th, 2015 - 21:47
We spotted a lion (cougar)in Burrillville just the other night on Rt.7 (harrisville) side. Made the call and basically got laughed at. Know what we saw…guess someone or something needs to get attacked before there is any belief.
October 5th, 2015 - 23:10
Well they are the ones to be laughed at. Ask them what happened at Matanuck? Where they claimed a bobcat dragged an adult deer shoulders off the ground a good distance and covered it. Then the cat was seen by a few witnesses. It left tracks too, OOPS they didn’t notice those. Their findings were REVERSED and its now a class 1 confirmation.
January 11th, 2016 - 16:50
At approximately 0900 AM on or about Sept 9 th some light rain while driving on Rt 2 heading from westerly RI toward Foxwoods right before the roundabout I clearly saw a large cat dark brown colored cross very fast in ft of my car( perhaps 3 strides and it was across.I stopped and saw what Appeared to be a mountain lion slow when entering the wooded area.I lived in Colorado a number of years and have seen Mountain lions in the wild before and I am sure I saw one this day.
October 10th, 2016 - 14:00
So on October 3Rd 2016 I was driving north bound on 95 just passing the sign for Wyoming Rhode Island. I saw a very large cat standing slightly behind the sign waiting to cross the road! I thought no way is there a mountain lion in Rhode Island! (I live in northern ri) As I doubted myself at what I saw saying it was too big to be a Bobcat but was def a cat and light/med van/brown in color! I’m positive now with reading all of these that I def saw a mountain lion! Was at about 9:00pm
October 13th, 2016 - 00:15
I live in east Greenwich RI earlier tonight a friend and I saw a large black cat appearing to be in stalking mode. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a clear photo on my cell. It scared the crap out of us and we can’t seem to get any answers on what it could have been. It clearly was not a dog or coyote or any other domestic or wild animal it was definitely all black and about 150 lbs any ideas on this or other observations known about greatly appreciated. I’m in an apt complex w children elderly and disabled people I know there was a report of a tan large cat in Kingston RI a few towns over also its a very wooded area here and train tracks run by here and there’s many deer sightings all over the property. I’m now afraid to go out after sunset