SHELBYVILLE, Ind. - A reported sighting of a mountain lion in a rural community in Shelby County was bogus, Indiana conservation officers said Thursday.

Officer Ted Stine visited the western Shelby County community of Bengal on Oct. 10 to follow up on the reported sighting and searched the area.

"He was unable to locate any evidence of the cat," Officer Jet Quillen said in a news release.

Earlier this week, Stine was given a picture that was purported to be from a motion-sensitive camera near the original sighting location.

"After further investigation, Officer Stine confirmed the picture originated from Missouri and was taken from the Internet," Quillen said.

DNR said it has received about 300 public reports of mountain lion sightings since April 2010 and that most of them have no supporting evidence.

"Many of those that have had evidence turned out to be canines," Quillen said.

A confirmed mountain lion sighting happened in Greene County in May 2010. Investigators never determined if the animal was wild or had been held captive and escaped.