As you will recall, earlier this year, it was reported that “lions” were being seen in Georgia (see here). Some of these, it now appears are “maned lions” in Hall County.

Several of the reports described, not a mountain lion but what people seem to think was an African lion.

We found some consistency in those reports. So we went there and set some traps but didn’t catch anything.

In all of these big cat sightings, our first thought is that we’re probably, if we’re dealing with a legitimate, accurate report, we’re probably dealing with something that someone had a role in being there.

The reports were geographically close by, and, on a timeline, they was enough time for one animal to get from Point A to Point B. And the descriptions that people gave of the animal were consistent between the four reports.

After the original reports and story, it’s been a mismash of reports. We did have a horse killed and the big cat was suspected. We did have a cow attacked and the big cat was suspected.

Scott Frazier, wildlife biologist, Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Are these Panthera atrox or escaped African lions? Even when these cats are taken, we might not know.

Look at what happened in 2002.

These existing photos of the two killed Arkansas lions (mostly one is shown), for September 23 and 24, 2002, were of “mystery cats” found and killed. They were said to not be escapees or pets. But then DNA sampling was not done, and both bodies were destroyed. Clearly the photos show a maned felid. What species were they?