Track rekindles puma debate

MILLERTON — A large predatory animal has been killing small animals at farms in nearby New York state. 

The worst hit so far has been Dashing Star Farm. Owner Lynn Mordas reported that three of her sheep were killed at the beginning of August. A rabbit was killed at Daisey Hill in Millerton. And there are reports that a sheep was killed at McEnroe Organic Farm, although calls to the farm seeking confirmation were not returned. 

So far there are only theories on whether the predator is a bear, a mountain lion, a coyote or even a large dog.  

Mordas of Dashing Star Farm in Millerton said two of the three ewes killed on her property were multi-bred sheep; one was a crossbreed from one of the first sheep she ever owned.

The loss is as difficult financially as it is emotionally for her.

“As any farmer in this area will tell you: You don’t earn a fortune on this work, so a loss like this is devastating,” Mordas said.

Puncture marks

Mordas found the first sheep carcass on Thursday, Aug. 2. It was partially concealed under a bush near the fence around her farm. Vultures and flies had already begun to dismantle the carcass, so it was hard to see how much damage had been done during the attack. 

Mordas buried the sheep and checked the fence to see if there were any gaps where an animal might have slipped in.

Around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4, another ewe was killed. Mordas could see that a good amount of the breast area and rib cage had been eaten. There were puncture marks on the body. 

Mordas found a third carcass early on the morning of Sunday, Aug. 5. 

Mordas reached out to state environmental agencies for help and advice. Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Zachary Crane installed trail cameras on the pastures. He also photographed the paw prints. 

Based on the search of the site, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officials theorized that the predator was some kind of canine or large cat such as a bobcat or coyote; they said that it was “absolutely not a mountain lion.”

DEC Regional Furbearer Biologist Kevin Clarke also looked at the evidence and said, “It honestly sounds like a black bear attack being that three sheep were killed.”

Two rabbits missing

At Daisey Hill Farm, owner Jessica Cookingham noticed a month ago that one of the farm’s rabbits was missing. While the rabbit couldn’t be located, she said there were some claw marks on the side of the rabbit pen. After purchasing three more rabbits, Cookingham said another one went missing two weeks ago.

No other animals have been affected, but she said the farm has an electric fence around its sheep and goats and a wire fence around its chickens.

An incident involving sheep at McEnroe Organic Farm in Millerton was also reported; the owners did not return calls before press time.

DEC Public Information Officer Ben DeLaMater said of the attacks that “DEC wildlife biologists believe the tracks are from a domestic dog or a coyote. 

Asked about the presence of mountain lions in the area, DeLaMater said there haven’t been any eastern cougars, or mountain lions in New York since the late 1800s. The issue has been the subject of much debate around the Tri-state region, with multiple unconfirmed reports of mountain lion sightings by area residents.