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Welsh wolverine?

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CygnusRex

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Mysterious beast mauls dog in Wales

Associated Press

WALES — No one knows for sure what creature it was that crept out of the darkness behind Leo Michaud's home and attacked his 16-year-old Doberman pinscher, ripping her head open. The Doberman, named Dutchess, had to be put down after the Aug. 12 mauling.

That day, Michaud found a den near Dutchess' doghouse that he believes was home to her attacker. A few nights later, he caught a glimpse of what he thinks was the attacker: a large animal, black, gray and brown with wild eyes and a bushy tail.

"The thing was right in the middle of the yard," said Michaud, 46.

The animal glowered for a moment and then ran off, disappearing into the den. Soon after, Michaud began looking at pictures of wild animals fitting that description.

He hit upon a suspect: "It looked like a wolverine," he said.

Experts, however, say that's unlikely. Wolverines are known to thrive in Canada, but not Maine. And while they are known to scrap with larger animals, a wolverine going toe-to-toe with a Doberman would be extremely unusual.

Maj. Thomas Santaguida of the Maine Warden Service is almost certain the animal that killed Dutchess was not a wolverine. His prime suspect is a smaller but even nastier creature common in the Maine woods: the fisher.

Wolverines and fishers have similar heads and body shapes, Santaguida said, and it would be easy for someone with an untrained eye to confuse the two.

But the fisher, the only animal on land that will kill and eat a porcupine, is common in Maine and is also known to go after cats and dogs.

"They are very aggressive," Santaguida said. "They are very mean. They will hassle a house pet." He said they almost never attack a person.

Still, Michaud is nervous. He said something vicious may be living behind his mobile home just off Route 126. He has two teenage children who often roam in the yard. The creature's den is only 40 yards from the entrance to Oak Hill High School.

An animal damage control officer unsuccessfully tried to trap the animal. Michaud tried to destroy the den by ramming his car into it, but the den proved to be more sturdy than expected.

Warden service spokesman Mark Latti said the mystery in Wales remains under inves- tigation.

Meanwhile, Michaud said he plans to dismantle the den. He'll either come face-to-face with the beast that killed his dog, or he'll find the den empty and the mystery will continue.
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Source
 
Yup, sorry for the confusion, my pathetic attempt at an aliteration for the title
 
This may sound like a stupid question, but what exactly is a 'fisher'?
 
Keyser Soze said:
This is in Maine, USA and not Wales in UK, right?:confused:
Click to expand...

Then again, 2 were allegedly seen in Somerset (UK) about 10 years ago...
 
Here's another report of the same animal:

http://www.sunjournal.com/news/city/20040827074.php

4ft tall - bipedal height or shoulder height? The first woman's description sounds like a Shunka Warikin, OOP hyena or even a "Devil Monkey" type critter (like "Fluffy" the Louisiana carcass), whereas the second description ("at least" 18" shoulder height and similar in size to a collie) sounds fairly accurate for a wolverine.

Incidentally, here's a wolverine-like creature actually in Wales, UK: http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/regionalnews/tm_objectid=14323622
&method=full&siteid=50142&headline=natural-born-killer-name_page.html
 
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