Boston Herald - Wednesday 18 June
By Franci Richardson
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Drivers are pulling over in their cars, looking in awe as the now-confirmed
sightings of a 5-foot mountain lion in Westford give them . . . paws.
``Three people saw it crossing the road'' on the Tyngsboro side of town,
said Sharon Aaron, assistant animal control officer. ``One gentleman pulled
over and sat staring at it for 30 seconds. He said, `I'm not crazy.' ''
Four solid sightings of the 150-pound wildcat from people who didn't know
each other were reported a couple weeks ago, with several more pouring in
steadily since then. The last credible call came last weekend.
``They're all saying it's absolutely, definitely - couldn't be anything but
- a mountain lion,'' said Aaron. ``We're checking everything out and taking
it seriously.''
The fawn-colored feline, a federally protected endangered species, sports
a 3-foot tail and likely feasts on the area's abundant deer population.
Aaron warned the townsfolk to keep track of their young.
``You don't want to leave your 3-year-old riding a Big Wheel alone in the
driveway,'' Aaron said. ``You don't want to approach it. And the last thing
you want to do with a mountain lion is run. That would be like rolling a
piece of tin foil across the kitchen floor in front of a kitten.''