Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. The same goes for New York and several other eastern states. Two other reports went, in detail, on what they saw, the size, the length of tail, etc. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Mountain lions were once widespread across North America, but their range shrunk dramatically as they were pursued through unregulated hunting and by farmers aiming to protect their livestock, and moved off the landscape by habitat fragmentation. If pumas do exist in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, could they all be released cats or escapees? A few could, perhaps, be mistaken idenity. Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? 1.8 miles, 2 hours, moderate. At one time mountain lions, or more properly puma (Puma concolor), enjoyed the widest geographic range of any New World mammal, and were found throughout all of the contiguous United States. If mountain lions are discovered in PA anytime soon they'll either be big foot's pets or genetically engineered and released by the DCNR to cull the orangu-bear population. I've read a lot about this, and the usual explanation is the very human desire to see something, to see what someone wants to see, and thus these people are seeing bobcats or brown cats or dogs or foxes and, because they 'want' to see a puma, they do. Note the size of the tail, the pointed ears, the speckled coat, the basic lack of white underneath. What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. Cougar Network tracks mountain lion expansion from the western U.S. to the east. Again, I've been told that some Game Commission personnel have admitted that pumas may exist in Pennsylvania, but they rationalize this by saying that the pumas are not breeding and they are not from original wild stock. 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! The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a mountain lion migrated about 1,500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut where it was killed by a. I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. Let me explain this. Heres What the Data Says. So it happens, and who knows if it is existing in wild pumas in the East. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. I wanted to know if they're here, so I called some people I trust and asked them one simple question: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? 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. This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. But Dave "Gadget" Jones, a retired wildlife conservation officer from Lackawanna County, claims he's seen a white bigfoot and a UFO in Pennsylvania, so who knows? I've never seen or heard of a verified black puma anywhere, whether wild or captive, so I'd be inclined to dismiss reports of truly black big cats as misidentifications, even when a group of guys all see the same thing. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. Perhaps one or more of these Pocono sightings represent early pioneers reclaiming their former territories. I'd love to hear of any reports you have. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. Armand Martinelli isn't only the mayor of East Stroudsburg, he's also a hunter who is connected with plenty of people in the area. Now, if there were any escapes, and if any of these bred with a possible minuscule number of eastern pumas, a relic native population, wouldn't the gene pool be corrupted? In Pennsylvania, I receive a few reports of black, big cats, which makes one wonder -- are there melanistic (black) pumas out there, or are those sightings always wrong. Recently, on a back road in Pennsylvania, a friend and I had our first sighting of a coyote in Pennsylvania. Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. With the Great Lakes in its way, the cat moved either north or south of the water, and the latter route would have seen it pass through at least some of Pennsylvania. Interesting, too, are the reports I've heard from people who were told that they would be in big trouble if they shot a puma. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. The life cycle then repeats itself. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. "Given the period of time that has passed without verification of even a single eastern puma, the service concludes that the last remaining members of this subspecies perished decades ago," the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a Federal Register notice. Mountain lions live in rescue centers like Murray's, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission said a dozen or so people are permitted to possess them. One sighting I give complete belief in was from a friend who told me a puma crossed right in front of their vehicle, and paused on the berm for a few seconds, at a distant of ten yards or less. Have some feedback for us? Any Truth Me? Mountain lions can live in almost any habitat including forests, prairies, deserts, and swamps. Those cats for which DNA evidence was recovered had come east from South Dakota, part of the known, modern-day, U.S. mountain lion range. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. Below is a list of physical characteristics that distinguish mountain lions from more . Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. 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. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. If it were, it would be listed. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. Knowing that pumas range widely, would my ridge be the only one closed? There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. But no one that I've communicated with had these preconceptions, and seeing what they saw was a complete surprise. If there were wild cougars in our midst, the Game Commission also pointed out, eventually there would be solid evidence such as a carcass, scat and paw prints that could be verified. Two weeks ago, a friend of mine who teaches in one of the Monroe County school districts called to tell me he was sending me a photo of a mountain lion taken by one of his students in the Poconos. Over 1,100 people follow her page. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. Who knows? During this time, male mountain lions will travel in search of females. Everyone is familiar with albinism, the absence of pigmentation that results in a white, essentially pigment free animal, defined by pink skin and pink eyes. Flying over the area, I've looked down and commented upon the amount of habitat that would be available for a puma, if only they existed. No An official form of the United States government. Let me explain this. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. The agency has declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies ofmountain lions native to North America. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions. Interestingly, almost all of the people I've spoken to who claim to have seen a puma have not seen a bobcat, an animal that is common enough in Pennsylvania to support a legal trapping season! Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. Newspapers carried stories in 1956 about hunters supposedly seeing and killing wolves in Pike and Monroe Counties. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? "They preyed upon the caribou, and probably the mastodon," Leslie wrote of these large animals flourishing on the grasses and cold-climate flora that sprouted following the glacier's retreat. 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. The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. I've know of reports since 1973, in Cooke Forest, the heart of a lot of Pa. wilderness. Many of those claiming to have encountered a cougar in Pennsylvania take that non-confirmation by the commission as an attack on their veracity and character. That may be true, or was once true, but even a declawed puma, if it can survive off rabbits and squirrels, and breeds, its offspring would be fully equipted to survive. Good luck, and let me know! Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. 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). If we say it ain't so, it ain't so! 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. redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. Where they always here as a relic population? It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. Of interestRamapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization. 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. How do I deal with shaving weight for carrying my gear? The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. I've seen so many examples of these distortions, exaggerations and lies over the last couple of years that I've grown very dubious about anything I see on a computer. Interestingly, the US Fish and Wildllife Service has declared the Eastern Puma extinct, except for the Florida population known as the Florida panther. It had been captured in Florida, and was to be released. Bobcats, feral cats and domestic dogs may be misidentified as mountain lion. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania. 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). This animal was undoubtedly a bobcat. In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. But more importantly, he also said that regardless of color, he saw a big cat, with a tail that looked to be about 4 feet long! Colorado has a large number of mountain lions within its borders, mostly due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. I'll be anxious to learn of your report. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Who knows? After a gestation period of 90 days, female mountain lions will give birth to litters of about one to six cubs. However, if you've seen a mountain lion, or other mystery creature, or evidence of either, in Pennsylvania, contact outdoor writer Marcus Schneck at
[email protected].). Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. 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. Biologists who investigate these reports claim that several may, indeed, be mountain lions, but most likely they're animals that have escaped from captivity or have been released by their owners. Many people have claimed to see them, and this writer chronicled numerous such reports in the local press from the mid-1990s to the 2010s. These experiences are still available, but the reality is there is so much more for the mature traveler to enjoy in the Pocono Mountains. If you see or photograph a puma in the mid-Atlantic states, please email or call me. The Game Commission concluded they were coyotes. In Michigan, there has been multiple sightings of 'black panthers,' animals that were thought to be mountain lions, or pumas, except that they were black. Check out our online field guide to read more in this series. Joseph Pugliese 2.2K views 7 years ago Beautiful Bobcat in our yard as our. And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. They include a reported attack on horses at a farm near Dillsburg, York County, that Foster thinks may be legitimate. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. 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. "They're getting a lot of that out west. Ironically, I almost deleted the image, as on the small camera LCD monitor the cat was small and I thought that it was just another deer that moved along the stream. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. Although a large proportion of the Lenape Nation was dispersed far from their ancestral homelands in the 18th century, colonial settlers and their descendants struggled to live in this region with wolves and cougars inhabiting the forests. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. The photographer had no reason to stage the shot -- indeed, the composition and background was terrible, and not what you'd expect for something staged, but the shot wasn't perfectly clear. In prior interviews with the Game Commission, the suggestion was made to this writer that what many people may actually be seeing is a bobcat, perhaps in less than ideal circumstances. If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. Goggling Eastern Puma brings up other web sites, however, with varying levels of professionalism or credibility. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. If you can figure out how to travel far back in time for even a day, get lots of wildlife photos, as the rest of us might never believe your story. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? But the point of this article isn't whether or not mountain lions exist in Pennsylvania or the Poconos. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. Depends on who you talk to, I guess. Ramapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization, Bigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. They are there to help us. Would my mountain ridge be declared 'Critical Habitat' for the puma? Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. Recently the US Fish and Wildlife Service formally declared the Eastern Puma an extinct species, except for the remnant population in Florida. 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.". While it would seem impossible to confuse the two after seeing them in person, Foster said many of the sightings are in the dark, from roadways and trail cams, with bodies half-concealed. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? Mountain lions roamed all of the continent prior to the arrival and westward spread of European settlers, but only the eastern and Florida subspecies were found east of the Mississippi. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. "We've been here 45 years and I've probably been told by people at least 100 times that they've seen a cougar or mountain lion," said owner Vince Hall. PHILADELPHIA (AP) An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. He saw a big cat. Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a. ? Once a mountain lion matures, it will leave its mother and find its own territory. The state of Arizona is home to a large, stable population of mountain lions. In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! Mountain lions are well-established in 14 western states and have also recently been confirmed in 10 Midwestern states: Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. I want to believe they're here, but I'm having some trouble. Conversely, an outdoor writer I know told me that when Pa. enacted a menagerie permit law years ago, 'a lot of mountain lions suddenly died,' as the owners of these cats, rather than going through the paperwork, simply released their pumas and claimed that they had died. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. "I know they're native to this area. Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. It was decided that this shouldn't influence the decision and, in fact, an infusion of new genes produces a hybrid vigor, lessening the chance of in-breeding. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. All of these forests are, with few exceptions, open to hunting, and hunting is a very important industry in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. The 'look' is from my They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. "They are very strong animals," she said. Every year we receive a few similar reports from hikers, hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. However, it is clearly a mountain lion, and I'm presenting this poor image as a baseline reference for anyone recording a mountain lion on a game camera, or seeing one. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. 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. A Mountain Lion Cover Up I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. 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. This, after they were told that there were no pumas in Pa. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. So what? "If my son would have been on a pedal bike, without a helmet on, that thing would have nailed him," said Walters, 44. I've seen about 20 mountain lions, or pumas, in the field, but all but 2 were in Chile. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. This is actually a good thing, as genetic isolation generally weakens a species. "While confirmed cougar sightings have occurred recently in the wild in the East, there is currently no scientific or physical evidence documenting the continued existence of a population of wild eastern cougars," according to the U.S.
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