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Possible mountain lion sighting in Winchester

WINCHESTER, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) – A mountain lion may have been spotted in Winchester Tuesday.

A resident in the area of Ridge Street near Locke Farm told police he's confident he saw a mountain lion.

Another neighbor says he also spotted a wild animal jumping over a fence in one leap, but he thinks it was a fisher cat. Still, police put out a reverse 911 call to people in the neighborhood Thursday night warning them of the potential danger.

The animal control officer was dispatched to the wooded area near the Locke Farm and found paw prints. The Environmental Police took photos of the prints and sent them to Mass. Wildlife for verification.

Winchester resident Diane Long listened to the reverse 911 call from police and says she wouldn't be surprised if a wild animal was roaming the wooded residential area.

"There's a farm right around the corner and there's a lot of animals here so it's probably what drew him here. To prey on those animals," Long said.

Long's husband, Michael, says he had a sighting of his own a few days ago and he is certain what he saw wasn't a mountain lion.

"It was a fisher cat. Positive. It wasn't a mountain lion. Positive. Positive," he said.

Whether it was a mountain lion or a fisher cat, or if both are out there, Long says her and her husband are going to keep their beloved terrier on a shorter leash.

"Probably keep a close eye on our dog. He'd be terrified to be around it if it is a mountain lion. Terrifying even for humans. Yeah of course if it's really a mountain lion," Long said.

Information about mountain lions and their behavior is posted on winchesterpd.org.