Investigation of Possible Mountain Lion Attack Begins

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Updated: 10:16 AM Aug 28, 2007 Investigation of Possible Mountain Lion Attack Begins Kansas Wildlife and Parks are investigating a possible mountain lion attack on a 17 year old near Alma. Posted: 2:14 PM Aug 27, 2007 Reporter: 13news

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Kansas Wildlife and Parks is investigating an incident involving a Wabaunsee High School teen, who says he was attacked by what appeared to be a mountain lion while jogging early Saturday morning.

17 year old Wayne Flerlage reports he was jogging two miles east of Alma in Wabaunsee County around 12:30 Saturday morning when a large cat came up behind him and knocked him down.

Flerlage says he pushed the cat away and then kicked it under the chin, chasing it away. Flerlage has scratches and cuts on his arms and chest.

Flerlage's mother, Diane, who works at Wabaunsee High School tells 13 News that Wayne is an avid runner and was out on a workout when he was surprised by the attack. She says her son, who preferred not to be interviewed, thinks the cat was curious and not looking at him as prey.

In the past, the state has contended there are no mountain lions in Kansas, but 13 News has reported several sightings by people who say they spotted a mountain lion at several locations in NE Kansas.

Latest Comments

Posted by: karly Location: topeka on Mar 16, 2009 at 04:22 PM

i think that everyone has an openion but i think there is a possibility
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Posted by: Nathan Location: El Dorado on Mar 13, 2009 at 07:07 AM

My girlfriend and I were checking our limb lines one summer morning at dawn on the Walnut river just east of Eldorado. From our small jon boat she spotted a large cat and told me to look. What we saw looked to be black but the sun was not fully up yet. We made eye contact with the cat for several seconds and it was unmistakingly a large cat, at least 60 plus pounds. When the cat knew we saw it it slowly walked away. We were no more than twenty feet away from the cat. Its tail was huge. The owners of the house on the river who let us fish on their property claim that they have heard strange noises leading them to believe that something was killing small animals in the woods across the river. I know what I saw that morning but I havn't seen it since. I hope to one day spot the cat again with a camera in hand to proove the presence of these beautiful animals in the state of Kansas.
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Posted by: Ann Location: Kansas on Nov 30, 2008 at 07:26 PM

To Matt & Rich in Topeka who made the snide remarks on 8/29/07 about jefferson county's comment on Aug 28, 2007 about seeing a big black cat. You both doubted that there are large black cats in KS. Well, believe it. My Dad shot one when I was a kid. It was down at the river behind our house feeding on fish. The large black cats are in the U.S. and are called a jaguarundi. Don't be so quick to point a make fun of others who say they have seen them. As far as cougars and mountain lions in KS. They were here first and were called prairie lions. They were forced into the mountains because the hunters began shooting their main meal (deer) and an influx of people into the animals domain left them little choice but to retreat to the mountains. If you want to continue to deny the fact that there are mountain lions/cougars and jaguarundi in KS, then you had best be prepared to be their next h'orderve.
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