‘Mountain Lion’ May Have Been a Coyote or a Dog

The state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife said the “mountain lion” reported in Winchester last week was not a mountain lion. It was likely a coyote or even a dog, reported The Boston Globe.

Amy Mahler, an Environmental Police spokeswoman, told The Globe the exact identity of the animal isn’t known, but the prints suggest “a member of the Canidae family,” which includes a coyote or dog.

The report of a mountain lion was reported by a person near the Dunster Lane and Pepper Hill Drive neighborhood off Ridge Street in Winchester, which is near Wright Locke Farm in Winchester and Whipple Hill in Lexington.

Winchester Police called in the Massachusetts Environmental Police, which initially said the paw print “strongly resembled that of a mountain lion,” according to Winchester Police.

The prints were sent to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife for verification.

Read the full Boston Globe article here.