The Cougar Network, working with state agencies, have documented multiple mountain lions as far east as Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan in recent years, as well as that cat killed on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2011. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. The bobcat wouldn't survive. Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. It is almost safe to say that the panther has in these parts become extinct, Goodrich wrote. For example, one man I interviewed said he saw a 'black' puma, and this should disqualify his sighting as a black puma has never been recorded. Murray also has a cross-eyed white tiger named Keisha, who crushed chicken bones with ease but delicately stepped into a metal pool to cool off. At one point, there was debate whether that cat should be protected, since its genes were diluted from escapees or released pumas that originated in South America or our West. None of these sightings has been authenticated, and many of them, including a recent, alleged mountain lion picked up on a surveillance camera in Lackawanna County, turned out to be bobcats. There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. However, my friend and I discussed this, and agreed, we saw what we saw, and had it been 40 years ago or four months ago, we knew we saw a coyote. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. The mountain lion, which is also called a cougar, puma or panther, weighs on average between 75-120 pounds, has long whiskers and a distinctive swooping tail. Accounts abound concerning interaction between these great beasts and people in northeast Pennsylvania, with wolves into the early 19th century and in the case with cougars, well into the early 20th century. Who knows? Asa Packer Mansion Jim Thorpe. On the other hand, there are probably thousands of game cameras covering water holes and game trails throughout Pennsylvania, and to my knowledge no one has yet recorded a puma. The last known mountain lion in Pennsylvania was killed in Berks County in 1874. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. What is the Kiboko backpack? Now consider: If it was confirmed that there was a breeding population of endangered pumas on the mountain ridge behind my house, if the USFWS recognized the existence of this endangered species, what might happen? Knowing that pumas range widely, would my ridge be the only one closed? However, if you've seen a mountain lion, or other mystery creature, or evidence of either, in Pennsylvania, contact outdoor writer Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.). Here's more about mountain lions in Pennsylvania: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. To be fair, I've also spoken with people who, at first, thought they'd seen a puma only to find, to their embarassment, that they were looking at a house cat! If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? The Game Commission concluded they were coyotes. Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. The image in the Upper Left was from a Game Camera, sent to me by a friend. Michelle LaRue, executive director of the Cougar Network and a research ecologist at the University of Minnesota, will discuss the eastern expansion of cougars from their core range in the western U.S. at 7 p.m. in Moravian College's Haupert Union Building, Bethlehem. I was heading up the road and I saw an animal with a long tail.". As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. The next day, another friend, who works for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, called me to ask if I had seen the photo of a Pocono mountain lion with a deer in its jaws. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. Suppose, instead of declaring the puma, or Eastern mountain lion, extinct, the USFWS actually recognized the existence of the cat as a wild, breeding species. This is huge news for conservationists around the country and a sign that cougars may be heading east once again. Continuing with that thought, if that were so, then it'd be possible, if not very likely, that the Eastern puma would be an Endangered Species. An article in last year's New York State Conservationist magazine about mountain lions concluded that none exists in that state, even in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Mountain wilderness. Can so many people be so wrong? Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Illinois can also now be added to this list a mountain lion was found on the outskirts of Chicago. Note the long, usually thick tail. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. "If there was mountain lions in Pennsylvania), I think we'd be getting reports from farmers and people with pets that there were attacks on their animals," Martinelli said. RelatedBigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know. Every year we receive a few similar reports from hikers, hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? On a recent stifling morning in Adams County, the 290-pound mountain lion with perfect bone structure is ignoring the raw chicken breast and pork chops a handler tossed into his pen. Obviously, other pumas must be about, and the series of ridges extending north and east and west from my location could all be included as critical habitat as well. ", (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence, including in a reported Berks County sighting on January 8. There are at least 20,000 black bears in Pa., and a small percentage are killed each year, but we're probably not talking about 20,000 pumas in the state. More about mountain lions in Pennsylvania: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! Once a mountain lion matures, it will leave its mother and find its own territory. I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. The other two clans were the Turtle and Turkey. Imagine my surprise. Still, these resilient animals reside in secluded areas across the United States, with current data suggesting they may even be returning to their historical regions! It will happen eventually. Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. It was estimated to be a young adult American Mastodon that had died about 12,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. One might argue that the eastern puma is extinct, but that does not mean that there are not pumas (mountain lions, cougars) in the east. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. Let me explain this. That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). The State Museum of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, displays a taxidermy mount of a mountain lion in glass case, with the notation, "This lion, found near Hawk Mountain in Berks County around 1871, is the last native mountain lion known to have been shot in Pennsylvania.". These experiences are still available, but the reality is there is so much more for the mature traveler to enjoy in the Pocono Mountains. I'm wondering, then, if the complete dismissal of sightings of Eastern pumas (other than the acknowledgement of released or escaped pets) isn't motivated by economics. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions. Most of the people I've spoken with live in this belt, but biologists friends I've spoken with have told me of their own reports, first-hand, from hunters in the Poconos who saw pumas, too. a high priority. About half of the state of Montana is ideal for mountain lions, primarily in her western and central regions. There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. Despite reported sightings throughout the East, including Pennsylvania, and a confirmed mountain lion killed in Connecticut in 2011, there has been no evidence that any of those cats were native . Goodrich said he once saw a mountain lion spring from a thicket and kill a sheep on a public road. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Transient males have been sighted as far east as New York! "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. Did they migrate south from Canada? With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Here's an example: A man is holding a dead eastern diamondback rattlesnake, which was found in North Carolina and measured more than 9 feet long and weighed 95 pounds. Bushkill Falls Trail. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. A total of 32 mountain lions have been struck and killed by vehicles in the study area since 2002. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. More common critters co-existed with early Native Americans in the Poconos, including two species long since removed: the wolf and mountain lion (also known colloquially as panthers and cougars). "They are very strong animals," she said. Melanism is the reverse, where there is an abundance of dark or black pigmentation. The state of Arizona is home to a large, stable population of mountain lions. Fish and Wildlife Service. And yet today the debate continues: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? The state of Idaho is large, expansive, and full of rocky wilderness. Where reports dating that far back from escapees? And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? Did they migrate south from Canada? Me? Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). An escapee is also possible. In 2011, a confirmed mountain lion was killed by a vehicle in Connecticut and which had been determined that it had wandered east from the Mid-West. "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. Over the last two years I have occasionally posted a Question of the Month soliciting sightings from people who believed that they have seen a mountain lion in Pennsylvania or in other areas in the mid-Atlantic states. Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east.
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