There has been a report of a “big cat,” possibly a mountain lion, lurking along the hiking trails in Terry Hershey Park.
Houston attorney Tina Nicholson reported seeing the cat from a distance of about 100 feet as she jogged along one of the park’s wooded trails last weekend.
LION COUNTRY? – The banks of Buffalo Bayou and the walking trails through Terry Hershey Park may be the home to a roving mountain lion. Hikers say they have seen a “big cat” lurking in the area.
Nicholson’s sighting triggered a search by the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office but, so far, the cat has not been seen again.
Assistant Chief Constable John Laine said his officers searched the park Sunday and Monday, but no signs of the cat were found.
There have been no other sightings of the mountain lion reported.
Big cat expert Jeremy Stein said it is entirely possible the expansive park may be home to a mountain lion despite its urban location. Mountain lions – also commonly called pumas or cougars – are reclusive, nocturnal and stealthy, making them difficult to detect.
“Certainly it’s unusual to find a mountain lion living in an urban setting but, at the same time, it’s clearly within the realm of possibility. The cat may have been living in this area for quite some time without anyone being aware of it,” Stein said. “Unless you know what to look for, most people would never be aware that they’re sharing a mountain lion habitat.”
Terry Hershey Park and its extensive trail system, often following Buffalo Bayou as it makes its way toward downtown Houston, runs from the Katy area at Highway 6 through west Houston to near Beltway 8. Much of the area is heavily wooded and, in some areas, backs up to housing developments.
At Highway 6, the park’s westernmost trail meets the expansive Addicks and Barker Reservoir area and Harris County’s 7800-acre George Bush Park. The area remains primarily undeveloped, serving as a flood protection zone and, because of its natural state, a potential habitat for the big cats.
“There’s food and shelter and plenty of room for a mountain lion. He or she could easily exist in such an area and, because they’re naturally reclusive and nocturnal, never come in contact with humans beyond the type of quick glimpse (Nicholson) reported,” Stein said.
People using the trails Tuesday afternoon seemed largely unaware of the big cat report. Ray Kruger said he jogs the trails “almost every day” and had not heard of the sighting.
“It kind of makes you wonder. It’s a little weird when you think a mountain lion might be out there in the underbrush, watching you as you run past,” Kruger said. “But I suppose it’s very possible.”
He said the report will not stop him from using the trails.
“I might decide to run with a partner but, no, it doesn’t really bother me,” he said.
Estella Ramirez walks her two poodles along the trail several times a week. She said she may wait a couple of weeks before going back to the park.
“I’m not worried for me, but I’m worried it might attack my dogs,” Ramirez said. “I may just wait a while and see if there are any more people who see anything.”
Franklin House said he likes to come to the banks of Buffalo Bayou near Highway 6 to fish. He said he typically stays close to the busy highway and doubts the cat would come close.
“I don’t think they like all that noise and all the people around. I might keep my eyes open a little more than usual, but it doesn’t really bother me,” House said.
Officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said mountain lions are typically not a threat and tend to avoid humans whenever possible.
Only 18 people have been killed by mountain lions in the United States and Canada since 1890. Of those, 15 fatalities occurred in the United States, primarily in western states.
The most recent fatal mountain lion attack was in June of 2008 in New Mexico. Searchers found the body of a 55-year-old man near his mobile home in Pinos Altos, New Mexico. He had apparently been attacked and killed by a mountain lion several days earlier.
No public alert or warning has been issued for Terry Hershey Park in the wake of the mountain lion sighting.
