"Extinct" eastern cougar killed

The Eastern cougar is extinct. That's official. Well, maybe. We still get sighting reports, and now we have a dead cat to explain. The 140-pound animal was killed by an SUV on a highway only 70 miles from New York City.
It may be this animal was an escaped or released captive (one hesitates to say "pet," although that could have been the case). Expert examination can usually identify the signs of a caged animal that has not been exposed to the stresses of life in the wild. I will look forward to further information on this case.
The sighting reports of Eastern cougars, though, will continue in any case. Most of them are misidentifications, but I don't think all of them are. If I had to bet, I'd bet the government experts got this one wrong.

THANKS TO: eyeofnewt@att.net, who posted this to the Cryptolist email group.