lion sighting: Wallingford, Connecticut

[Emily]

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8206062

CT resident claims to have seen mountain lion
Mountain lion's lair? - by News Channel 8's Bob Wilson

By News Channel 8's Bob Wilson
Posted April 21, 2008
11:05 PM

Wallingford (WTNH) _ Is there a mountain lion roaming the countryside in Connecticut? One Wallingford resident says yes. Environmental experts aren't so sure. So, with this said, should people be worried?

Bob Heilnan, of Wallingford, was out working in his field when he saw an animal cross in front of him. It looked just like a mountain lion.

"It walked across the field this way, disappeared in here and that is the den. DEP was here and they say that is a den," Heilnan noted.

But is it a mountain lion den? That is the question. Heilnan continued to describe what he saw. "About 3 and a half feet long, tan and the tail has a black tip. And, as it walks, the tail and the front legs move together."

DEP says mountain lions are not native to Connecticut. They wanted Heilnan to get a picture of the animal. So, he called a friend who has a special wildlife camera, he mounted it next to the den in front of the animals path.

"The camera has been put in place and it's a special camera with a motion sensor and flash so that any animal that walks in front of it will the picture of what ever animal lives in the brush."

Beth Webb lives across from the den. She knows that everything from rabbits to wood chucks live nearby. But, a mountain lion?

"We are a little concerned to see what is out there, in the field and long as it's nothing dangerous that's okay," Webb noted.

As for Heilnan, he knows what he saw and he knows that there aren't supposed to be mountain lions in Connecticut. "This is Connecticut. I know I have deer. I know I have coyote. I know I have muskrats living in my pond. But when you stop and think about it -- there is a lot of game for him and this is the perfect place for him."