06/24/1995
The Patriot Ledger Quincy, MA

Run Of Paper
21
(Copyright 1995)

CAPE ELIZABETH -- The first scientifically confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in the state since 1938 came in an unlikely setting -- the wealthy bedroom community of Cape Elizabeth. Rosemary Townsend reported seeing the animal while walking in an undeveloped area in the southern part of Cape Elizabeth on March 11. Game wardens who investigated found hairs that were tested and proved to be those of a mountain lion -- also known as a cougar. Townsend, of Cape Elizabeth, said she was alone on a brisk morning walk on a road that winds through the Sprague Estate, near Crescent Beach. She paused to gaze at sunlight reflecting off a pond. "All of a sudden this animal slinked out from bushes and started drinking from the pond," she said. "My immediate thought was, it's a yellow lab. Then it looked up at me. When I saw its face I knew immediately it was no dog. It was a lion." V. Paul Reynolds, spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said state biologists have reacted to the Cape Elizabeth sighting with skepticism. "The official position of the department is: `Gee whiz folks, it's Cape Elizabeth. It's probably someone's escaped pet,' " Reynolds said.

From the report provided by MDIF&W on the hair examination (Lab Case #95-0236):

"EXAMINATIONS CONDUCTED:

LAB-1 was examined macroscopically, and samples of hair were mounted on glass slides in Flo-Texx mounting medium for microscopic examination and comparison with our collection of known standards.

EXAMINATION RESULTS:

LAB-1 contains hairs representing two species: fine hairs that conform in size, shape, and medullary characteristics to hairs of cougar (Felis concolor) [=Puma]; and hairs that conform in size, shape, and medullary  characteristics to hairs of white-tailed deer or mule deer (Odocoileus sp.)."