With so many awesome creatures that can be found in nature, it's an unfortunate moment when you learn about a new and potentially interesting species, only to find out that it is already extinct. Based on the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, one subspecies of the eastern cougar dubbed the "Ghost Cat" will provide one of those moments.
With a name like "Ghost Cat" how can one assume that the species wouldn't be awesome? Unfortunately, we may never see our expectations fulfilled, as the Fish and Wildlife Service might soon declare that the "Ghost Cat," long suspected of having died out, officially extinct.
The "Ghost Cat" was previously listed as extinct back in 2011 following an extensive review. However, the organization may soon officially rule that the "Ghost Cat" is gone for good.
The fate of this elusive subspecies has long remained shrouded in mystery, with the last recorded sighting of it dating back to the 1930s and the animal being placed on the endangered species list in 1973, according to Animal Planet.
The "Ghost Cat's" disappearance has been linked to hunting and deforestation by the lumber industry, leading to habitat loss for the cougar's primary prey, the white-tailed deer.
The reduced population of their primary prey is what many believe to have sealed the fate of the "Ghost Cat."
The deadline to accept comments for their proposal is Aug. 17. At that point the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will publish a final rule and based on that ruling, remove the "Ghost Cat" from the endangered list.
