The Eastern Cougar Foundation has additional information on the DNA analysis that leaves little doubt that the panther was born in the wild in southern Florida. You will find a complete report in the September issue of our newsletter.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/08/16/pav_544561.shtml
AugustaChronicle.com
Survey reveals that lack of lodging at lake hurts
By Rob Pavey| Outdoors Editor
Sunday, August 16, 2009
ANOTHER PANTHER? Georgia officials confirmed last week that additional panther sightings are under investigation in Troup County, where a cat killed last fall by a deer hunter was found to be an authentic Florida panther.
“These are citizen reports, and we’re doing what we can to look into them, but so far we haven’t come up with anything concrete in the way of evidence,” said Melissa Cummings, spokeswoman for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division.
The most recent report came in last week. “Someone reported seeing one seven or eight miles east of where the earlier cat was shot,” she said. “We weren’t able to substantiate anything, though.”
About six weeks ago, another sighting came from the same region. “That one reported a panther being seen north of LaGrange,” she said. “It was seen drinking from a pond, but again — there was no physical evidence to back it up.”
Wildlife biologists even placed trail cameras in the area, hoping to confirm what was reported. But they had no luck. “We will continue to check out all the reports,” Cumming said.
Federal law enforcement authorities are continuing to evaluate whether charges should be filed against the deer hunter who killed the panther last Nov. 16 at West Point lake. Although the cat was confirmed by DNA tests to be a Florida panther, authorities still have not ruled out the possibility it had been kept in captivity.