The big cat captured on a wildlife camera last week is a bobcat.

That’s the word Friday from Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources biologist Jerremy Ferguson.

“We try to respond to any sightings and come out to the landowners to see tracks,” Ferguson said. “We get reports almost weekly of everything from mountain lions to black panthers. We are looking for verification and we want to help with that.”

The photograph of the cat photographed in Jones Chapel was on private hunting and provided by Greg Donnelly of Cullman. He had sent the photograph to Auburn University.

After the photo was published by The Times, residents weighed in on social media and through phone calls on experiences they’ve had with everything from bobcats, suspected mountain lions to coyotes. Bobcats and coyotes are plentiful in north Alabama, but there still has not been a verified sighting of a mountain lion.

That doesn’t mean mountain lions are not occasionally crossing through this region of the state, Ferguson said.

“At one time biologists took a hard stance that there were no mountain lions here,” Ferguson said. “I don’t think you can take a stance quite like that now. We know they have been verified in Georgia and Tennessee and it’s possible that a male could be crossing into the state.”

Nonetheless, Ferguson said he doesn’t believe mountain lions have settled anywhere in north Alabama.

“There is certainly no evidence of that,” he said. “In Tennessee there were several verified sightings that were clear on camera, and it was moving close to Alabama. The sightings in Georgia are also easily verified. When there is a clear sighting of one in Alabama on camera or other evidence, then we will know with certainty. We know the ability for them to pass through the state exists.”

Ferguson said the salt block in Donnelly’s picture was important in that it gave some depiction of the cat’s size.

“The salt block was probably eight to 10 inches. A mountain lion, at its size, would have been much larger in comparison,” Ferguson said. “But want anyone who has pictures or believe they have found tracks that could be that of a mountain lion to contact us. We want to see tracks and other evidence so we can help make the determination. We would love to verify it if a mountain lion is here or has been here.”

David Palmer may be contacted at 256-734-2131, ext. 116.