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Investigators are trying to track down who cut off the paws of a 135-pound cougar found dead Wednesday morning near a California freeway.
Andrew Hughan, public information officer for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the case is being investigated as poaching. It is illegal to take body parts, he said, even if — as it appears — the animal was first killed by a car. "It’s still desecrating a specially protected species," he said.
Animal Rescue Team, the organization that helped find the mountain lion, said that the animal's genitals had also been removed. Fish and Game initially confirmed that information. They later said it was erroneous.
The mountain lion was a 2- to 3-year-old male — a teenager, in human terms, according to Hughan — when it died along a rural stretch of Highway 101, a major commuting route for Los Angeles.
Here’s what they know: At about 5 a.m. the California Highway Patrol received a call from a motorist who spotted a deer in a southbound lane of the highway, a few miles from the small town of Buellton, population 2,500.
When the game warden was nearing the scene, he came upon an elderly couple — tourists from Oklahoma, who had pulled off the highway in their car to capture a fawn that was wandering next to the freeway, Hughan said. He took the fawn, which was unhurt, and went to get the mountain lion.
Graphic image warning: A picture of the mountain lion can be viewed by clicking this link.
But he couldn't find the cat. It was only several hours later with the help of a wildlife rescue worker that they found the mountain lion carcass, now mutilated and discarded, well off the road.
The working theory, according to Hughan, is that the doe spotted the cougar and was trying to draw the predator away from her fawn when the cougar ran into traffic and was hit.
And then the poacher — possibly someone listening to the police scanner, he speculated — rushed to the scene with tools to salvage body parts.
Two male mountain lions were found mutilated last fall, according to Tim Dunbar, executive director of the Mountain Lion Foundation, a nonprofit in California. One had been shot, the other killed by a car, and both had paws and genitals removed.
Animalrescueteam.net
A fawn rescued when investigators were looking for a dead mountain lion that had been reported along Highway 101 north of Los Angeles. The cougar may have been chasing the fawn's mother. It is now being cared for by Animal Rescue Team, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation organization.
The paws were probably taken to be stuffed and sold into the lucrative black market as trophies, said Stephanie Boyles Griffin, a wildlife biologist with the Humane Society of the United States.
She said poachers take mountain lion genitals to sell as ingredients for traditional medicines. Claws from the animal sometimes end up in jewelry.
"One reason it’s illegal even to take the parts of an animal that was already killed is because there’s no way to know if they were taken from an animal that was killed accidentally or intentionally by a poacher," said Boyles Griffin.
Mountain lions have been "specially protected" under California state law since 1990 and it is illegal to possess their body parts. The main species in California is not considered endangered, though it is rare. It is legally hunted in some states.
For now, information on the crime is scant.
"We’ve got a dead lion, no idea where the doe is, but the fawn is fine," said Hughan.
He’s hoping that a $2,000 reward will turn up some new information in the case.
"There’s really no hope of catching these guys unless somebody rats 'em out," said Hughan. "Money talks and hopefully the reward will go up and somebody will rat them out."
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Leave a Comment:
The marketability of endangered wildlife parts should absolutely be discouraged. What kind of person would want these artifacts?
If they catch the SoB that did this they should cut his balls off and feed them to him. It is very likely that he is the same person responsible for the mountain lion that was illegally shot and desecrated a while back.
EmilyinIowa, I agree, and I am not a hunter, but who would have guessed that it was illegal to "desecrate" road kill?
read the dam article it says they were not cut off as first reported holy @!$%# you guys are all acting like iraqis with your demand of blood it was @!$%#ing dead so its a poacing offense no more grow up
Emily dear, it is being discouraged. Note the $2,000 reward and the word "illegal" in reference to the possession of the animal parts and the prhase "specially protected" in reference to the mountain lions. And maybe you should look up "artifact" in the dictionary. Animal parts are not artifacts, sweetie. By the way, congratulations on being the first to comment on this article! Next time, maybe you should give some thought to what you have to say, use words you understand or look them up first, and settle for being second. Have a nice day! :)
Nun ya, maybe you need to read it. The only part they changed was correcting the erroneous claim that the genitals were taken. The way I read it, that would mean the paws were still taken.
It sucks to be wrong when you seem so self-righteous, doesn't it? With 8 comments so far, you seem to have a strange fixation on this article.
The paws were taken, and--as backgound--the theory is that they would have taken other parts but ran out of time... ie, they know this is illegal. --The reporter
Illegal in the communist state of California, Elsewhere it is legal to kill them if they are endangering your livestock.
Also it is legal to then keep your kill or any part thereof.
When they find him, they should cut off his "middle paw".
sorry Kevin i meant to specify genitals my mistake but the rest of my comment stands but you seem to have a strange fixation on me are you gay and congrats your the first sarcastic ass I've baited into being a dick i new their was at least one hahahahaha apparently you didn't read my other post that stated it correctly you were just counting get ready to take off your shoes Ive made more than 8 posts now don't want you to loose count
JS in SD, you are despicable, and so is anyone who doesn't tell you you are despicable. This is insanely speculative fiction, and you have no idea if this person is a poacher or a scavenger. Please do not make use of ur balls, and prevent yourself from having children. Thanks
Find the local redneck
Cruelty is a human trait
LMAO @ bigmac , where exactly is the cruelty in taking parts of a dead animal that was killed by a car?
Joe honey, I know it is being discouraged and my comment that to do so is right and proper. You are right that artifact is not the right as it is not created by humans (though if the paws were modified significantly it may be considered one). The word I was searching for was article.
bluthunder, did it ever occur to you that maybe the one that took the parts was probably the one that ran the cat over deliberately first with the intent of taking the parts ? lmao @ you bluthunder !!!!
It takes all kinds.
I was pawed by a cougar once.
Me too, Bill! I was about 17 years old at the time. It was a female with really long claws. I was scared stiff!
Thats a good one Joe. :0)
Hey Joe, i hope she at least licked your wounds, lol
Always give credit where credit is due...
Denver Bill reminded me of the incident.
And there were no real wounds luckily, but there was considerable swelling.
I came through it ok.
Swelling? At least you "came" through it ok! HAHA! :) I couldn't resist that one!
The person who would want these artifacts is a sicko, someone who feels it's just fine to kill any animal, any time and use what he/she wants or feels he/she needs then discards the rest.
If and when they find this perpetrator, he needs to be put in prison for at least three years. Maybe there he'll find out what having genitalia messed with, in a not so nice way.
it was roadkill dumbass
Did yall read the story? It's still illegal to take body parts because you can't prove they came from roadkill.
yea i read it i was referring to the extremist comments about cutting of his balls and such it was dead for hell sake
But should it be illegal, if conservation is the point, then why not have a system in place so it can be put to use, instead of letting it just rot or ending up in a dump.
nun ya, your comments certifies you as a completely ignorant trolling fool. You must enjoy being humiliated by yourself.
Native American and other indiginous cultures have been using animal parts for various rituals since the begining of time. I myself work with animal parts for various spiritual rituals and I have never killed or harmed a living animal in anyway except hunting or fishing for food. What I recieve is from roadkill or what one of my dogs might bring me. Honestly, If I came accross a dead cougar, wolf, bear, etc... I would have taken the paws and the head. If possible, I would take the whole carcuss and then bury what I don't use. I really don't care about anyone else's opinion about it.To me, that person was blessed to recieve the medicine of the cougar and a powerful totem to be used, honnored and respected. Wow, what a blessing!
Hey idiot, it was road kill.
As for killing animals and discarding the rest, I think all humans do this, for food. You probably let some butcher discard all sorts of stuff. Go cry now, thanks, have a bad day. Oh, and its so great we have people applauding rape in prison, its scum like you that keep this unfair punishment accepted.
@Kevin - you do realize it is illegal to take parts of an animal if it is not a legal kill. If you are found with a parts of a federal protected species, you can do federal time.
Well, thank God I don't have any federally protected species parts at this time.
kevin you are an idiot, sounds to me that you may be releasing your dog to go kill an animal for you for some stupid worthless sacrifice of yours. you still have the blood of animals on your hands , just because you say ( i 'm not buying it ) you yourself don't kill or harm animals is a contradiction to what you said earlier about hunting just in case you don't know hunting is killing. stop the stupidity, animals are not an ingredient in any medicine, only in medicine that ignorant murderers say there is like in some foreign cou ntries they are just fooling themselves. stop messing with totems they are used in demonic rituals ! animals don't cure cancer or erectile dysfunction or anything like that, serious get a life !!!!!
As long as there is a market for these body parts, there will be people removing these parts to make a buck.
Erroneous.
Erroneous Hummmm maybe—parts from all predatory animals are still prized in all the Asian countries despite what is believed or said here—and many of these erroneous are still made into specific medicines—what is taboo here is time honored elsewhere-
California is one of those places where the cultural pot is over flowing with all types..
We all know there's a market for animal parts in China. If this cougar's parts were not destined for Eastern Asia, then it's some third world immigrant there in California wanting it for some weirdo medicine crap based on ancient Chinese wisdom per his/her grandma's recommendation.
I guess you never heard of Chinatown?
Body parts, human and animal, are used in religious rituals and black magic. Both of these are practiced all over the world. Whether any of it (including ALL religions) is helpful is a matter of faith and/or opinion.
The difficulty is that in the past, these animals were killed to be used for food and/or clothing, shelter, tool-making, etc or to protect people and livestock. Animal kills were very rarely used for just one purpose; it is wasteful of time and resources. Now poachers are the main suppliers of body parts and they take what they can sell and discard the rest, occasionally taking advantage of "found" kills.
Poachers have no respect for the animals they kill or for their clients, only for the cash. Those that buy the body parts and/or those that make, sell and/or use what is made from them do not respect the animals or the traditions of their ancestors anymore than anyone taking aspirin respect the apples used to make it or the people who manufacture, market and/or sell it. The ancestors respected and honored the animals that died for their benefit.
We need to ban or regulate cars, deer are using cars to kill cougars a specially protected species. It's just shameful how that deer lured that poor cat into the road like that, and as it was pointed out in the article the cougar was disarmed.
Still don't get some states obsession with protecting road kill, why not let groups or individuals get some use out of it, like Native Americas who could use eagle feathers or other parts instead of having it go to waste, or having to get a special permit to hunt a protect animal.
Yes, Robbybillybob... of course you don't "get it".... why there is regulated hunting and permits so hunting can continue forever and there will be enough wild things for everyone to hunt. I know that is beyond your scope of understanding.
the deer cut off the cougars paws to make shoes for a stealty get away
Joman YOU dont get it. He asked about the wasting of roadkill. Please try to read before you post .
as in right here in them using the feathers from roadkill INSTEAD of having to hunt them for the feathers. Although I know that reading is beyond YOUR scope of understanding.
JoMann go back and read it again, I SAID ROAD KILL, as a sportsmen I understand all about permits and licenses, I also know that a lot of the conservation budget comes from the permits, licenses and taxes we sportsmen pay. I also follow all regulations and laws when hunting and fishing even though I am not required on some tribal lands, or is that your problem with me you don't like it that I am native????
I was talking about putting to use the parts of animals that are killed by cars that can be salvaged and used for different things, one idea would be mounts for museums, studies, native ceremonial items, instead of killing a animal for those uses. Get something good out of the lose of the animal instead of letting it rot on the side of the road.
ya right understanding, guess that is lacking too
The native Americans probably could of used the cougars pelt for something instead of letting it go to waste. That's a good idea I think Robbob. Get some use of the animal so it didn't die for nothing.
The Native Americans do get road kill eagles. However, auto deaths are very, very rare. Usually the deaths are from electrocution, when their wings touch two different power lines.
But we still get special permits to harvest them for ceremonial/religious reasons, some of which could be reduced if more was done to make the most out of accidental kills, a lot goes to waste because of the whole "It’s still desecrating a specially protected species" even though it gets clobbered by a fast moving mustang driven by a cougar late for a date.
You're right I didn't understand this:
As a negative situation.
So thank you butthunder for your clarification. Maybe the problem isn't in the reading but the writing.
No, no problem in the writing in was worded very plain.
JoMan your still not getting it,OK real slowly so you can keep up, hunting a protected animal period is what should be reduced as much as possible, by using the parts of those same protected animals that are killed accidentally would reduce the numbers that are hunted, the permit in not the problem, I have no problem with the idea of having to get a permit.
Second grade letting you use a computer and blog now, nice.
I know all about the laws and regulations so that is pointless to talk about, but being in second grade... you are the leader in that and led out on how you wanted us to communicate.
On the other issue:
How would I have even known you are Native American? I have not problem with it, but I can tell you might in many ways. I am regretful for the negatives you have had to put up with because of who you are. That is the bigger crime than the subject of roadkill.
i love animals ; i just know i'm wasting my life trying to cater to humans.
Haha....agreed.
The only way to make this stop is to catch the poacher and do the same thing to him.
nice logic next time your caught speeding they can have your ass run 75 down the freeway
Which poacher? The one who is so clumsy that he gets caught on his first try, or the one who's been successfully doing it for years, and hasn't been caught?
Obama did it
Simple. When he's caught cut off his paws and genitals. Maybe it's Ted Nugent and he will have filmed it for his show. Smart.
What sick individual would do this....
I bet that you wouyld love this guy and listen to him if he was defending your life....Oh damn, that's what he was doing?...Moroons
Ted Nugent never protected anyone but his own,draft-dodgeing a$$
Really getting sick of these sick humans.
Cougar penis? Really? What tiny little man wants a cougar penis?
Cut off his genitals, and sell them for "medicine". Make certain he is "alive tho". Sounds terrible, but he deserves no less.
read the article again the genitals were not cut of as first reported and the animal was dead but you want them to rip his off alive assuming of course it was a man or even a us citizen for that mater southern ca. tell me were you awake when they cut yours off
The cougar was probably a female, and therefore exempt from the mutilation.
3yr old male
Sorry, but sounds like Asian medicinal beliefs. Same thing that's killing rhinos in Africa.
Does anyone know of the whereabouts of ted nugent when this occured? sounds like his kind of "hunting"
come on you guys are being way to harsh maybe the guy had a flat tire and the dealer didn't have any tiger paws in stock
the gene pool really needs some chlorine, what loser would do something as disgusting as this. Sad time we live in....
It was probably Ted Nugent.Secret Service busted him and turned him over to Fish and Wildlife for shooting bears.
Respect. Lost.
I'm a hard core Republican that is also a hard core animal lover and protector that would like to see this..."THING"...have his scrotum ripped off as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And to think we actually believe that humans have more civility than animals!
and here you are wanting to rip off his scrotum yep you sound civilized to me
OH YEAH! Thats right I forgot!
It would be much more civilized to you if I would just support those wonderful Muslims that saw peoples heads off on video and stone women to death for wanting equal rights the way your Muslim-in-Chief does..
Please accept my sincere apology. I stand corrected....
not sure were Muslims come into play but I'm a desert storm vet and trust me i did far from support them and i didn't vote for the loser in the white house so guess your reply don't fly
I'm not sticking up for the guy but isn't having dead relatives cremated mutilation just because its cheaper it is ok after all the bones dont burn their ground up after all the flesh is burned off
First person I thought of was Ted Nugent. You know he has a thing with Cat Scratch Fever. And possibly with Cat penis envy also!
poaching and road kill are entirely different, what was the conservation officer going to do with the carcass? My guess is it would be in a dumpster, a ravine/ditch, or at best scrape a shallow grave with an endloader, perhaps incinerate it? It is California, maybe the pot growers in the national forests would implement a cease-fire and allow it to be interred in the wild (not likely) are some of you suggesting a burial service??? it's road kill...
Good question. I hope that there is a follow-up article. I know that deer carcasses are dumped out in the forest, and human salvagers can collect the antlers and bones for art projects (a person in town recreated a watering hole scene in their front yard, with dead animal skeletons, including one lying in a hammock, reading a book, and some at a counter with beer bottles. Not having Codes and demanding neighborhood associations is a Godsend for some people.)
I worked with a guy in Pa. that saw an otter get hit by a car. He stopped and it was dead, he called the game commission and asked if he could take it to a taxidermist. They told him no but they would let him pay them three hundred dollars and he could( I guess for the necessary paperwork so the taxidermist would know it would be legal). He didn't want to pay three hundred and probably another three hundred to have it stuffed but he had to drive it across the county and deliver it to the regional office. Still cost him twenty-five dollars in gas. He should've kept driving. I hope they had it mounted for their display otherwise it ended up in a dead pit on game lands somewhere.
The fish and game are just miffed because it ruined their taxidermy project. Honestly who cares. It was obviously dead, some guy wanted some feet. Maybe some balls to. Maybe all the people that want to mutilate this guy should take up a collection to give the cougar a proper burial, or start a group dedicated to preserving cougar balls and feet. I'm sure an out of work celebrity would be happy to sadly talk about all the cougars who are savagely losing their nuts and feet to the asian pharmacies in California.bahahahaha! Get a life people. There is more important things to get in a tizzy about.
You are an ignoramus, iti is a wild creature you idiot,
Attention Dept of wildlife I will add $250 dollars right now to the bounty for bringing in the person who desecrated this sacred cat,
That's $2250.00folks for a REWARD, serious money! For a bona fide capture of the desecrator!!!!!
Dept of Wildlife this offer stands good for the next 2 weeks........
Send any real Official Correspondence to me @
Mountainfox2@me.com.
Let us have courage and do the right thing for the Love of God people.