Mountain Lion Panic Sparks Shelter Alert In New York

A chilling video out of Upstate New York has gone viral. Now many are worried a mountain lion might be roaming the Empire State.

Mountain Lions (or Eastern Cougars) don't have a "native, self sustaining population in New York State," however, there have been few confirmed sightings in New York, teh DEC reports

The Times Mountain Lions Roamed New York

Mountain Lions have been absent from New York State since the 1800s. However, there have been few confirmed sightings across the state.

"Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York," the DEC states.

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A few sightings involved animals that escaped licensed facilities in New York State. Another sighting was when a mountain lion traveled 1,8000 miles from South Dakota to New York.

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The Rochester Police Department recently issued a "shelter in place" after a viral video showed what might be a mountain lion near a number of homes.

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Police say they got many 911 calls from residents reporting seeing the big animal across the city.

DEC Says It Could Be A Mountain Lion

The DEC reviewed video of the animal and told NBC that based on the video and measurements taken at the site that it appears to be a mountain lion.

"The video does appear to possibly be a cougar, assuming the video has not been altered," the DEC told NBC.

Where Did It Come From?

The DEC says if the animal is in fact a mountain lion, it likely someone's illegal pet, rather than an animal that arrived in New York on its own.

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"The video appears to show a cat large enough and shaped like a cougar. Other large cats are possible, especially considering that the location makes it most likely the animal was previously in captivity," the DEC added.

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