The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. Can so many people be so wrong? Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. Eyes are normal and are not light sensitive, and the over-all color, generally black, is usually not detrimental and may actually be of benefit. Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. do I get an immediate, 'Oh yeah!' I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Did they migrate south from Canada? I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. Note the long, usually thick tail. 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. The earliest wave arrived at the end of the last Ice Age; the last wave is the Lenape or Delaware Tribe, which made contact with colonial settlers in the 1600s. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. Mountain Lion Population (In Each U.S. State) - Wildlife Informer Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. 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. They mostly live in the far western Trans-Pecos region of the state, where they can freely roam 50,000 to 80,000 acres of land. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. There had been 17 other mastodon finds in Pennsylvania up to 1968, but all were fragmentary. Like Arizona, New Mexico is the perfect home for mountain lions. Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds. The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. A Mountain Lion Cover Up A Game Commission vehicle was there, and the Fed Ex driver, after reaching the bottom of a long hill, turned back to check on what he saw. In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? "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. Mountain lions have an interesting life cycle that consists of a few different characteristics. Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. Some outdoor enthusiasts insist they have seen the big cats here and believe them to be naturally occurring, native animals. In January, the U.S. Illinois can also now be added to this list a mountain lion was found on the outskirts of Chicago. What is the Kiboko backpack? Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. And a bit of an unpleasant one at that, as they now faced ridicule or doubt whenever they discussed their sightings. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. Bobcats tend to be darker brown, with lighter belly fur and spots while mountain lions tend to be more uniform brown, tawny color. He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? Some may be animals that dispersed into the region from western populations. I Googled "Pocono mountain lion" and there it was the same photo, except the caption claimed that it was taken in Oklahoma, not Pennsylvania, and various posted comments asserted that the photo was manipulated. The 'look' is from my Let me explain this. An animal's coat can stray far from the norm. I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. The State argues that there is no physical evidence, and no credible photographs. These creatures lurking in Pa.'s woods can hurt or kill you In August, Amy Walters said her 12-year-old son was spooked by a mountain lion in Forest County in northwest Pennsylvania while riding his dirt bike. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. 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. 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. Bushkill Falls Trail. So what? If you see a puma (mountain lion-cougar), contact me. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Below is a list of physical characteristics that distinguish mountain lions from more . They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? with a fluted projectile point were found near Middletown, Orange County, New York. "From three really reliable sources who are always around the woods from Monroe County to Bradford, there is no doubt that there are mountain lions in Pennsylvania," East Stroudsburg University football team offensive coordinator and avid hunter Mike Terwilliger said. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. Pa Mountain lion, cougar, or big cat in bucks county Pennsylvania Because the neck bothered me, I decided to do some Photoshop on the puma in the lower left, moving his head higher up and changing the image to a contrasty black and white - to give a silhouette for comparision. "From people that I trust have had visual sightings, they've seen mountain lions.". There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. All of the above images are of bobcats. the more visible white on the chest, the lack of spots, the huge hind quarters. After all, skeptics often suggest that puma sightings are just deer sightings, so it would be logical to worry that a hunter might shoot an endangered puma, mistaking it for a brown deer. Mt Lions in WV, NY, and PA - Hoot Hollow One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! The bobcat wouldn't survive. Their are two web sites I know of that dealt with eastern pumas, with the one, the Eastern Puma Research Network, concentrating on sightings in the east. About six months ago I posted the question, Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? And yet today the debate continues: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a great litter of boulders, rocks, clay and lakes covering today's landscape. And, some may be escaped or illegally released pets. 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. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Not only do hunting licenses support the various state game commissions, and in some states the acquisition and maintenance of public hunting lands, but hunters are a huge boon to local economies each fall, with purchases of food, lodging, hunting equipment, etc. Here in central Pennsylvania we live on the outskirts of what one puma-tracking website has as almost the high point of sightings, extending from north-central Pennsylvania in a southwestern diagonal that extends into the mountains of West Virginia. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. If we don't see it, it doesn't exist. A brief look, yes, but no question we saw a coyote. 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. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. Newspapers carried stories in 1956 about hunters supposedly seeing and killing wolves in Pike and Monroe Counties. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. The Bushkill Falls are a series of eight waterfalls in a 300-acre wooded enclave hidden amongst the Poconos. 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 . Big cats in Pennsylvania: mountain lions or bobcats? - Pocono Record The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". Who knows? But even without that second look there was no question that we'd seen a coyote. Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? After a small population was reintroduced into their historic land, their population has grown to a stable and breeding group of between 200-300 individuals. Possibly, but it seems unlikely that enough would have been released or had escaped to make for a viable population. One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. Nevertheless, I put up a MOULTRIE game camera -- a brand that I've had tremendous satisfaction with -- at the carcass, hoping that scavengers would visit. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) also reports evidence that humans arrived during the last glaciation or soon after. Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? years are available through this link. 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 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? 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. And when our officers go out to investigate reports of mountain lions, or when our staff reviews photos that are sent to us, often we're able to verify some other animal mistakenly was reported as a mountain lion.". 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. Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. "Hunters are always saying they see mountain lions, and the Game Commission always says there aren't any," said Robert Hale, owner of Buffalo Gap Outfitters in Dillsburg. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? I'll be anxious to learn of your report. Bigfoot, mountain lions and other cryptids in PA They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. Depends on who you talk to, I guess. (National Park Service). Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. 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. Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. I could fill pages recounting the eye-witness reports I've heard, and for every report critics could certainly say 'but there's no physical evidence!' redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? 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. He said he'd never forget the sighting, but it was only when he saw another, a few months ago, in daylight, from his cabin, that he decided it was time to tell someone. No one needs to panic.". They regularly join the camp of those angrily claiming the commission has introduced the big cats back into Pennsylvania as a control measure against the state's huge deer population. The Game Commission concluded they were coyotes. There are controlled hunting laws in the state of Oregon. In this at this distant epoch, archaeologists attempt to clear some of the mists and mysteries of prehistoric times. 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. He saw his cat at very close range -- 20 yards or less, and when I pointed out to him that pumas are never black he said that perhaps it was the light. 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. Is there a Puma conspiracy? Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. So many of these sightings have been proven wrong misidentified bobcats, coyotes or even house cats) that it would be irresponsible for a biologist to accept any of them as fact without absolute physical evidence hair, droppings, tracks or a road-killed animal. On the second night, a mountain lion passed by, apparently drawn by the smell but put off by the stench, as the cat did not visit the kill. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? An assessment list for Lower Smithfield Township in 1761 when it was part of Northampton County (Monroe having not yet been created) taxed "three pence per pound and shillings per head" laid on the land and inhabitants. Some experts predict that this wide-ranging predator, which can travel 600 miles in search of a territory, will surely reach our eastern states sometime in the next few decades. There are also big swaths of thick of forests in parts of the state. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Many have a desire to see some clear-cut evidence. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. The 2,400-square-mile area has long been a popular outdoor recreation area boasting hunting, fishing, skiing, and more. Foster, the Messiah College professor, said he has investigated about 15 reported mountain lion sightings since late May, and believed "three or four are pretty likely a mountain lion." Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. This ideal habitat allows for a large population of 2,000 mountain lions to thrive. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! There isnt an official estimate on mountain lions in the state. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead. 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. In the area around the border of Pennsylvania and West Virginia there are mountains and deep caves that contain some of the coal mines that were a major part of the state's industry in the early part of the 19 th century. If we continue to be bombarded with manipulated photos and untrue claims in most cases by people who just want to get attention then we may be very resistant to accepting the "real McCoy" if or when) one finally arrives. They include a reported attack on horses at a farm near Dillsburg, York County, that Foster thinks may be legitimate. See also: Murray said Rocky was emaciated and chained when she found him at a private zoo. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. They mostly live in the far western Trans-Pecos region of the state, with about 50,000 to 80,000 acres of suitable land currently being used by the cat. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. 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. Phineas Teeple of Manchester Township is thought to have killed the last wolf in Wayne County. "It's one of those things where I'll believe it when I see it," said Jason Farmer of Pocono Summit, my hunting partner for the last eight years. Others would like to see some scientific proof. All rights reserved. It was estimated to be a young adult American Mastodon that had died about 12,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating. Martinelli said that if there were mountain lions in Pennsylvania, there would be more sightings of them. 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. The reintroduction of mountain lions into South Dakota is one of the great wins of modern conservation. A mastodon's skull was first located in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, on July 5, 1968. "While it seems unlikely, it's not impossible that these animals are showing up in PA," said David Foster, a biology professor at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg. Find cabins in the Poconos, PA near places like Bushkill Falls, Camelback Mountain Resort, and more. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. Officially extinct, mountain lions still haunt the Adirondacks I don't believe someone's imagination could stretch a six inch long tail to three feet! 2023 www.poconorecord.com. I have three observations here: 1. There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. 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. Things to Do in the Poconos | Attractions & Outdoors - Pocono Mountains The other three images are from my file, selected to most closely approximate the pose of the cat from the game camera. But this one was black, and he knows mountain lions are some variant of brown. Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. There are, from time to time, eyewitness accounts from hunters or hikers who claim to have seen the cat. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing.

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