A cougar is thought to be roaming free in Co. Cork in recent weeks, with a number of claimed sightings reported.
However, it is understood that no official sightings have been confirmed as yet. The large cat – which is also commonly referred to as a puma or mountain lion – was reportedly seen in the Crosshaven and Fountainstown areas of the county.
Speaking on the Neil Prenderville Show on Cork’s Red FM late last week, Vincent Cashman from the Cork Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CSPCA) said: “We have trail cameras set up in areas where this animal has been seen passing. So as soon as it passes, this starts filming.
“We can do it in infrared as well, so it picks it up a night.
Our ultimate goal here is to trap it.
The CSPCA hopes to capture the animal alive in order to determine what kind of species it is and figure out how it came to be in Ireland. People are advised not to approach the animal if they spot it.
Cougars are said to be generally solitary animals and will not tend to confront people. They can be found in parts of Canada, the US and South America.
It is feared that a cougar could target livestock belonging to farmers in Co. Cork as its prey. But no reports of any attacks have been reported or confirmed as yet.