Creatures, Myths & Legends

Elusive black cougar spotted in Oakville, Canada

By T.K. Randall
July 10, 2022 ·  51 comments

Could black cougars actually exist ? Image Credit: CC BY-SA 2.0 Eric Kilby These common felines, which can be found across the Americas, are typically brown in color, however on rare occasions there have been reported sightings of cougars with distinctive black coats - raising the question of whether black (melanistic) cougars might actually be out there.

This latest such sighting comes courtesy of Oakville resident Marie DiGiovine who had been walking down the McCraney Creek trail when she spotted a black animal on the road ahead of her.

"It was like a giant cat," she said. "I panicked at that moment. I was paralyzed."

The animal stopped briefly and stared at her before disappearing into the brush at the side of the path.

"I've seen black bears and deer, but never ever a cougar," she said."I thought cougars were brown. This one was all black. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it was definitely, 100 percent, a black cougar."

Although she had taken her phone out to snap a picture of the animal, it had unfortunately disappeared before she was able to take the photograph.

While the existence of black cougars has never been officially confirmed, this is certainly not the first such sighting in North America and not even the first this year.

According to a report from Ministry of Natural Resources biologist Rick Rosatte, there were 52 credible sightings of black cougars in Ontario during a study conducted between 2006 and 2010.

Until a specimen is found (alive or dead), however, we may never know for sure that they actually exist.

Source: Oakville News | Comments (51)

Tags: Cougar