To the Editor:

I recall a half-year or so ago, the NYS DEC strongly dismissing and refuting claims by local property owners in the Massena and Colton areas (including by one well-respected local gentleman who had worked for the NYS DEC for 25 years), that they had witnessed either first-hand, or trace evidence of, mountain lions here in the North Country.

The BBC, and others, are now reporting on a mountain lion which was tracked having traveled more than 1800 miles from South Dakota, to Connecticut (presumably through New York State), where it was struck and killed by a car just last month.

I don't know if what the local North Country witnesses saw were mountain lions or not, however, considering this new revelation and evidence that one was found and killed in nearby Connecticut (which, similar to NYS, they were considered to have been extinct for over 100 years), the prospect doesn't seem as outlandish to me now as the NYS DEC seemed to project over this recent debate.

The link to the BBC article is below if anyone is interested:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14303496

Leland Farnsworth

Massena