Imagine finding a Mountain Lion in your back yard. Well, that is what happened to Jim Kutz in Lebanon, Tennessee.Needless to say, I had to check it out.
The photo above is of Jim showing me his video. And the video - well, you will have to look at it to decide if it is indeed a mountain lion.
Kutz, who lives at the KOA Campground in Wilson County, saw signs of a possible cougar living on a 200 acre tract of land behind the campground. So, Kutz set up a nighttime wildlife camera and quickly saw a large adult cougar and about three cubs.
The TWRA states on their website: "This powerful predator ranges from 5 to 8 ½ feet in total length and weighs from 70 to 250 pounds, with males being bigger than females. Their ears are black on the upper side and are a small and rounded with no tufts of hair. The muzzle is white on the end and black where it joins the head."
As for where the cougar (or mountain lion) was spotted... it was in the area of where I-40 and I-840 merge - close to HWY 109 in Lebanon.
According to the TWRA, the cougar is the largest feline animal in North America. Until very recently, there haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900's. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was near extinct due to over hunting and habitat loss. However, the cougar may be making a comeback in Tennessee.