Lion Loose in West Virginia? Better Feel Sorry for the Beast

West Virginia is known for it's scenic mountain roads, its moonshine and it's lions.
Lions?
News of a new king of the wild frontier from the Houston Chronicle:

Using a video camera and raw chicken, state officials hope to learn whether the king of the jungle is prowling the woods of West Virginia.

Bow hunter Jim Shortridge believes he saw a full-grown, male African lion weighing between 250 and 300 pounds at the foot of Cold Knob Mountain earlier this month. The state Division of Natural Resources confirmed that at least one other person has reported seeing the lion.

Using a camera normally employed to catch people dumping trash illegally, the state Department of Environmental Protection has joined with Greenbrier County Animal Control Officer Robert McClung and exotic animal expert Jim Forga to see if they can substantiate the sightings.

Twenty pounds of raw chicken left on the site last week were devoured, but McClung said that doesn't prove the lion's existence.

"Anything could have eaten that," he said.

If officials do spot the lion on videotape, they may set a bear trap for the animal. If caught, it would be turned over to Forga, who runs Tiger Mountain Refuge in Rainelle, a shelter for exotic animals.

Having went to 1st Grade in Dallas, TX and lived in WV most of my life, it's easy to draw comparisons between the two locales. One of the similarities is that in either place, it's the lion that had better be afraid here.

Lots of people in both places both own guns and know how to use them. Lots of people in both places are also looking for that next can't-miss Barbeque Recipe to try on the grill.

by Mondoreb
& Little Baby Ginn



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