A Lion or Just Lyin'?

For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn



Years ago, I was visiting my parents in northeast Ohio. As I was talking on
the phone, I looked out the window and saw a bear casually ambling by, just
a few feet beside the house. I called around, and no one would believe me.
At that time, the general concensus was that there were "no bears in Ohio"
anymore. Well, people believed me a few days later when the bear showed up
on a golf course. Then animal protection got involved and tried to hunt the
bear with a tranquilizer gun so they could return it to a more appropriate
environment. Unfortunately, it was killed on the road before that could be
accomplished. On a somewhat frightening note, we had a building were we
stored wood for the fireplace, and we went in an out to gather wood
throughout the winter. We later found signs that led us to believe the bear
had spent the winter hibernating there. There were piles of *very large*
feces right behind the wood piles that we had been collecting wood from!

It was after that that I began to read the theory that bears had crossed
from Pennsylvania to Ohio when the Ohio River froze that winter (a
particularly long and cold winter that year). Personally, I suspect that
there always were a few remaining bears in Ohio. In the case of the lion
you described, if it does exist (which certainly could be true), I would
suspect it escaped or was released from a private individual's care or even
a private "zoo."

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn



Years ago, I was visiting my parents in northeast Ohio. As I was talking on
the phone, I looked out the window and saw a bear casually ambling by, just
a few feet beside the house. I called around, and no one would believe me.
At that time, the general concensus was that there were "no bears in Ohio"
anymore. Well, people believed me a few days later when the bear showed up
on a golf course. Then animal protection got involved and tried to hunt the
bear with a tranquilizer gun so they could return it to a more appropriate
environment. Unfortunately, it was killed on the road before that could be
accomplished. On a somewhat frightening note, we had a building were we
stored wood for the fireplace, and we went in an out to gather wood
throughout the winter. We later found signs that led us to believe the bear
had spent the winter hibernating there. There were piles of *very large*
feces right behind the wood piles that we had been collecting wood from!

It was after that that I began to read the theory that bears had crossed
from Pennsylvania to Ohio when the Ohio River froze that winter (a
particularly long and cold winter that year). Personally, I suspect that
there always were a few remaining bears in Ohio. In the case of the lion
you described, if it does exist (which certainly could be true), I would
suspect it escaped or was released from a private individual's care or even
a private "zoo."

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

On Sun, 09 May 2004 16:49:52 GMT, (Ginger-lyn
Summer) wrote:

For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn

In recent weeks there have been wildcat/bobcat/cougar/mountain lion (I
forget which) sightings reported in one of the Chicago suburban
counties. Whichever creature it is, it's not one that's supposed to be
in this part of the US. Searches have been conducted, but they haven't
found it/them as of yet.

Maybe some other denizen of greater Chicagoland can remember what kind
of animal it's supposed to be? I'm thinking it was sighted in Lake or
McHenry counties.



Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

http://www.jhedge.com

On Sun, 09 May 2004 16:49:52 GMT, (Ginger-lyn
Summer) wrote:

For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn

In recent weeks there have been wildcat/bobcat/cougar/mountain lion (I
forget which) sightings reported in one of the Chicago suburban
counties. Whichever creature it is, it's not one that's supposed to be
in this part of the US. Searches have been conducted, but they haven't
found it/them as of yet.

Maybe some other denizen of greater Chicagoland can remember what kind
of animal it's supposed to be? I'm thinking it was sighted in Lake or
McHenry counties.



Jeanne Hedge, as directed by Natasha

http://www.jhedge.com

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn


Well depends, if lion means African or Asian lion, seems most unlikely. If
lion means Mountain Lion, aka, cougar, catamount, wildcat, bobcat etc. I
wouldn't be surprised.

There are more of them than ever in the wild and they are starting to get
pushy in trying to take back their former habitat.

Jo

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn


Well depends, if lion means African or Asian lion, seems most unlikely. If
lion means Mountain Lion, aka, cougar, catamount, wildcat, bobcat etc. I
wouldn't be surprised.

There are more of them than ever in the wild and they are starting to get
pushy in trying to take back their former habitat.

Jo

"Jo Firey" wrote in message
...

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn


Well depends, if lion means African or Asian lion, seems most unlikely.
If
lion means Mountain Lion, aka, cougar, catamount, wildcat, bobcat etc. I
wouldn't be surprised.

There are more of them than ever in the wild and they are starting to get
pushy in trying to take back their former habitat.

Jo



I didn't think of that distinction when I read Ginger-lyn's message. I
immediately jumped to the conclusion (possibly erroneous) that she was
referring to an African lion. There are bobcats in Ohio, and (as you said)
wildlife often makes its way into more urban settings.

MaryL

"Jo Firey" wrote in message
...

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if some
folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll tell you
one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm going to RUN
inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn


Well depends, if lion means African or Asian lion, seems most unlikely.
If
lion means Mountain Lion, aka, cougar, catamount, wildcat, bobcat etc. I
wouldn't be surprised.

There are more of them than ever in the wild and they are starting to get
pushy in trying to take back their former habitat.

Jo



I didn't think of that distinction when I read Ginger-lyn's message. I
immediately jumped to the conclusion (possibly erroneous) that she was
referring to an African lion. There are bobcats in Ohio, and (as you said)
wildlife often makes its way into more urban settings.

MaryL

MaryL wrote:
"Jo Firey" wrote in message
...

"Ginger-lyn Summer" wrote in message
...
For about a week now, we've had stories in my area (Columbus, Ohio),
of numerous sightings of a lion wandering around the edges of the
city! Although officers and the Humane Society have been called out
many times, no one has yet to find the lion. No one knows whether
s/he is real, or if we're having a mass hallucination here, or if
some folks are just having fun pulling some humans' legs. I'll
tell you one thing, though: if I see a lion in my backyard, I'm
going to RUN inside and bolt my doors!

Ginger-lyn


Well depends, if lion means African or Asian lion, seems most
unlikely. If lion means Mountain Lion, aka, cougar, catamount,
wildcat, bobcat etc. I wouldn't be surprised.

There are more of them than ever in the wild and they are starting
to get pushy in trying to take back their former habitat.

Jo



I didn't think of that distinction when I read Ginger-lyn's message.
I immediately jumped to the conclusion (possibly erroneous) that she
was referring to an African lion. There are bobcats in Ohio, and (as
you said) wildlife often makes its way into more urban settings.

MaryL

This reminds me of a traffic report I heard while driving to work not long
ago "... there is a peacock in the middle of [X] road. The police are on
the scene trying to get it to move but for now it seems to be fanning out
its tail and refusing to budge Take an alternate route."

Peacocks are not native to west Tennessee and the road in question was
nowhere near the Zoo so where it came from is anyones guess. I never did
hear a follow-up report.

Jill