Possible cougar sighting in Weakley County

Story by Press Reporter Macenna True

David Herlth Sr. of Greenfield stopped by the Press with pictures of an impressive discovery he caught on his field camera of what he believes to be cougar in his back yard. He and his wife live on Claude Capps Road outside of city limits. Herlth said their small Chihuahua had been increasingly nervous about going outside and his wife had told him earlier in the week she had seen a “big cat” running around in the woods but they had no evidence of the predator.

He was out caring for his chickens and heard noises in the woods that seemed to be an animal moving around. He said he just “figured it was a deer or something like that” so he went about finishing his business. The next day, he checked his camera and was stunned to see the big cat his wife had spoken about prowling around his chicken pens.

Herlth noted the cat has a long tail, but had it tucked up between its legs in the photos. He has spoken with his neighbors, none of whom claim to have seen the animal, but were thankful for the warning. So far there have been no reports of harm to other animals or property. Herlth said he was going to share his experience and pictures with the Greenfield Police Department and the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA).

According to the TWRA website, cougars, also known as mountain lions, are the largest cat in the United States and range between 5 to 8.5 feet long weighing from 70-250 pounds. When they are young, cougars have a spotted coat that changes to a solid tan or golden hue as they age. Their ears are smaller and rounded with no tufts of hair and they sport a “white snout that turns black where it joins the head.” Although Tennessee hasn’t been home to cougars since the early 1900s, the TWRA site states there have been confirmed sightings in Obion, Carroll, Humphreys and Wayne counties since 2015.

The TWRA website also notes that the results of a study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management in 2012 confirmed that cougars are establishing locations outside of their normal range of habitats in the Dakotas, Nebraska and parts of Colorado and Texas. They say, “The results of the study suggest that the cougar is re-colonizing the Midwest with a range expansion eastward. It is well documented that cougars travel hundreds of miles in search of new territory.” Recently confirmed sightings in Tennessee could be a result of transient cougars exploring new areas. However, they note that this expansion does not equate to “population establishment,” stating this “only occurs where reproducing females are documented.”

Bobcats are the more common wild carnivorous cats in this area; however, they are much smaller than cougars, ranging in length from two to four feet and weighing in from 10 to 40 pounds with cropped tails and tufted prominent ears set forward on their head.

Upon his discovery, Herlth warned his closest neighbors to be on the lookout and use extra precautions where pets or farm animals are concerned. “These animals are active at night,” he said. “So anyone in that area with dogs or other animals that live outdoors or go out there at night, need to be really careful.”

It is important to note that Tennessee laws protect all animals for which no hunting season is proclaimed and it is illegal to kill a cougar except in the case of imminent threat of life and/or injury. It is also important to note that this species is shy and there have only been 10 documented deaths by cougar attacks over the last 100 years in the U.S. and Canada combined. However, TWRA notes “if a landowner is experiencing property damage made by wildlife, that landowner has the right to protect his/her property.”