Marion residents convinced cougars roam the area
Staff writer
Officially, Kansas Wildlife and Parks officials maintain that wild mountain lions — also known as cougars — no longer live in Kansas.
But more than one Marion resident will take issue with that statement because they have seen a mountain lion (or lions) roaming around the area.
"There's no way you're going to confuse it with a dog or wolf or even a bobcat because they look nothing alike," said Marion resident Larry Loomis.
Both Loomis and his wife, Randee, who live in the southeast part of Marion, have seen a cougar.
The first time occurred between 6:20 and 6:25 a.m., June 27 when one sauntered through a tree-lined area just east of their backyard.
"I looked out the kitchen window and I saw a big tawny-colored animal walking in the west ditch heading south," Randee recalled.
"I was hollering at Larry to hurry and come look," she said.
In another room, Larry saw the animal through the patio door window.
"We could just see the tip of it's tail sticking up," Larry said. "It wasn't crouched or anything it was just walking along."
After the mountain lion moved out of sight, the Loomises were excited.
"We both said 'Did you see what I saw?' and we both said 'yes,'" Larry remembered.
Not only did the couple see the animal, apparently, so did two of their cats.
"These cats are ones that always want out and back in," Larry said. "That particular morning they were both at the garage door with their eyes wide open and their hair bristling wanting to come in.
"It was obvious something had scared them," he added.
Randee had a second sighting Oct. 11 as she was heading to Wichita around 8:15 a.m.
"I was about a mile or so south of town on Sunflower Street when I saw the cougar again," Randee said. "It was just walking along in a field.
"It's one of those things where you look and then you look again," she added.
Larry said news reports of a cougar struck by a motorist in the Kansas City area last week included photos of the animal.
"It was exactly what we saw," he said.
And even when they don't see the animal, the couple and several of their neighbors have heard it.
"Sometimes you just hear a blood curdling scream," Randee said.
According to information in the World Book Encyclopedia, the cry of the mountain lion is wild and terrifying resembling the sound of a woman screaming in pain.
"A lot of people walk in this area. It worries me to think what might happen if someone ran into that (while walking)," she added.
Margo Yates is another Marion resident who has seen a cougar in the area.
"I just saw it once last spring," she said. "I was south of town, past the sewer plant by the stone house, and there it was.
"It was weird looking," Yates added.
Yates said both she and her friend, Annette Baker — who has seen the animal several times — believe it follows the Cottonwood River.
Unconfirmed reports
Despite the accounts of these Marion residents and numerous others statewide, Kansas wildlife officials remain unconvinced cougars are actually in Kansas.
"Certainly a lot of people have made the observation that they are here," explained Charlie Lee, an extension service wildlife specialist at Kansas State University. "But I haven't seen one and there is no scientific evidence."
Lee has been tracking reports of mountain lions in the state since 1986 and said reports have increased over the last five years.
Lee said his office is conducting a survey trying to determine an exact location — latitude and longitude — where the sightings are occurring. Whenever an individual spots a mountain lion, he or she is asked to call Lee at (785) 532-5734.
"If we get enough dots in one particular area — and the funding — we'll do some onsite work," he said.
Since his office began actively asking for calls in September it has received 40 from across the state with the majority coming from the Wichita and Topeka areas.
Lee said he didn't believe that was a true indicator of actual cougar locations, but rather a result of intense media exposure in those large metropolitan areas combined with large populations of people.
Since 1990-91, Lee said 300 to 400 cougar sightings have been reported in Kansas.
"The question is 'when is a sighting confirmed?' and that depends on a number of things," Lee said. "What I'd like to see is a track, hair or evidence of a prey kill."
Lee said he has viewed approximately 100 photos and between 10 to 15 videos, but could draw no concise conclusions.
"All the tracks I've looked at do not appear to have been made by mountain lions," he said.
Despite the lack of scientific evidence, Lee believes the stories of those making the reports.
"Since there's no reward being offered or any other kind of personal gain, I generally take these people's word as being truthful," Lee said.
If cougars are in Kansas — based on the number of sightings and the distance between reports — Lee said there are more than one or two animals.
"But I truly believe if there were numbers of these animals roaming around we'd be seeing more evidence of kills that fit the profile of being caused by a cougar," Lee said, or even showing up as road kill on a highway, similar to what occurred in Kansas City Oct. 14 when a woman struck one on I-35.
Wild vs. captive?
Marvin Peterson, local conservation officer with Kansas Wildlife and Parks, said he has received reports from a number of credible people over the years.
"But we haven't had a confirmed case of a mountain lion in Kansas," Peterson said. "Personally, I've never seen one."
However, if mountain lions are roaming the state there's a good possibility they may have been captive animals which either escaped or were let loose by their owners when they became too expensive to feed.
"One of the ways to tell whether or not it's a wild mountain lion or one which was captive is through a teeth tartar test," Peterson said.
Animals that are raised in a pen often have tartar buildup on their teeth. However, cougars whose teeth are clean usually indicate they have been chewing on bone. Also, unusual wear on the teeth or gums may be an indicator the animal has been chewing on bars or wire.
"They are a free roaming cat and the Kansas deer herd would be a good food source," Peterson said.
Historically, mountain lions roamed Kansas. Hunting and habitat loss contributed to their demise in the state back in the early 1900s, Peterson said.
In Marion itself, interim Police Chief Michel Soyez said he has heard about people seeing mountain lions in the Marion area, but has never seen one himself.
"I know growing up here I've seen what I'd consider to be a long tail bobcat," Soyez said. "But I think it's possible mountain lions could be here just because of the number of exotic game breeders around."
Like Peterson, Soyez said he thinks there could be former captive animals running around.
"People don't realize how much food these animals can eat. It takes a lot of meat to supplement them," Soyez said. "Sometimes, I think people just let them go because they can't afford to feed them."
Whether wild or former captives, the animals would have plenty of food, water and cover available in Kansas to survive.
"Our terrain isn't much different than that of eastern Colorado and we know cougars are there," Soyez said. "So, I think it's possible."
More than a decade ago, Soyez recalled there were reports of a moose roaming around western Kansas. Eventually, those sightings were confirmed.
"There was enough food and water to sustain a moose that wandered down here from the north so it wouldn't surprise me to learn we have mountain lions in the area," he said.
