Jaguar sighting in south Mississippi???

[RougeDawg]

On my way to Starkville I'm pretty sure I saw a dead young jaguar on the interstate shoulder. Was on I-59 between picayune and Hattiesburg. Anyone else see this or see a live one? At first I thought it was a bobcat but when I got up on it he has a bright yellow/orange coat with large black/Orange spots. Roughly around 30 lbs looking at his size. I have a 15 lb house cat as a reference point and this guy was at least twice as big.

Looked up their range and it indicates they are seen in southern Texas and other border states. One known breeding group near Tuscon. The other cats of the Panthera Genus have been known to have ranges upward of an 800-1000 miles radius.

Would be a little interesting to have one of those come up whole deer hunting.

[BeastMan]

I've never heard of a jaguar sighting in MS but that doesn't mean it's not possible.

[BrunswickDawg]

Predator cats are making a comeback just like wolves and coyotes. We've had bobcats make their way out onto the islands here - first confirmed in the area in 100 years. And Panthers have started venturing out of the Okefenokee into some of their old ranges. It's pretty cool.

[SpeckleDawg]

You really shouldn't be drinking and driving. :D

[BulldogBear]

Can't say I've seen one. Always wonder if their range might eventually extend here. I've never seen a cougar either, though I have seen a bear. You sure it wasn't a lynx or extremely big tom bobcat?

[TUSK]

I saw a Chupacabra driving home from Memphis a few years back...

[Treemydawg]

I saw a Chupacabra driving home from Memphis a few years back...

That was more than likely my treeing walker hot on the trail of a coon.

[Johnson85]

On my way to Starkville I'm pretty sure I saw a dead young jaguar on the interstate shoulder. Was on I-59 between picayune and Hattiesburg. Anyone else see this or see a live one? At first I thought it was a bobcat but when I got up on it he has a bright yellow/orange coat with large black/Orange spots. Roughly around 30 lbs looking at his size. I have a 15 lb house cat as a reference point and this guy was at least twice as big.

Looked up their range and it indicates they are seen in southern Texas and other border states. One known breeding group near Tuscon. The other cats of the Panthera Genus have been known to have ranges upward of an 800-1000 miles radius.

Would be a little interesting to have one of those come up whole deer hunting.

Don't know anything about them other than looking online, but looking at the other places they are known to be in the U.S., it would seem to be the wrong type habitat. But I suppose if one got disoriented for some reason the distance wouldn't be too much for it to cover. Just not sure what would cause it to strike off in an odd direction like that that wouldn't also make it hard for it to survive the trek.

[Prediction? Pain.]

There was a confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in northwest Tennessee about a month ago:

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/whats-more-rare-cougar-sighting-tennessee-photograph-one-says-twra#stream/0

Here's a map of their current distribution in the USA, including sightings outside their normal range:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/12/cougars/img/cougar-range-map-us-990-NEW.jpg

I'd love to see panthers come back east to take their place alongside other animals that historically roamed this region that have or are slowly starting to make a comeback, like black bears and elk. At the same time, I'd likely soil myself if I ever ran into one on a hiking trail.