The Crosshaven Cougar is still on the loose and this time has been spotted by Fountainstown resident Aoife Fitzgerald who kindly contacted us in The Carrigdhoun last night after spotting her / him on her way home.
Aoife was able to get two photos, though they are quite blurry. However, a brown coloured animal can be identified in the background.
There have been several reports in the last two weeks about the large cat, believed to be on the loose in the Crosshaven area. It has been described as “looking like a labrador dog with a much longer tail”.
The Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) has said that it has received several reports of a puma, also known as a cougar, in the region.
They described the reports as “too credible to ignore”.
The unconfirmed sightings have been reported over the past two weeks in Fountainstown and Crosshaven.
Speaking last week to RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland, Vincent Cashman of the CSPCA said their priority is to identify the animal.
He said, “We have set up some trail cameras in the places the animal has been seen previously so we can try and track the animal and get an ID on it.”
“It sounds very far fetched but it’s not impossible and the reports that we’ve received from landowners and people are credible and worthy of further investigation.
“Sometimes we do receive reports of large cats and they may be feral cats.
Mr Cashman said they have mapped the areas where the animal has been spotted.
Local Gardaí are also working on trying to identify the animal’s whereabouts.
The CSPCA have vets on standby, who may be summoned if the animal needs to be darted.
A stock image of a cougar:
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