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. 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. So it happens, and who knows if it is existing in wild pumas in the East. 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. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. They're seeing an animal they don't know or recognize, and while some may be watching a smaller bobcat about 35 pounds), some believe they've actually spotted a cougar. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? State Game Officials do concede that some people may indeed have seen a puma, but it was undoubtedly a released captive. Can so many people be so wrong? Recently the US Fish and Wildlife Service formally declared the Eastern Puma an extinct species, except for the remnant population in Florida. There are, from time to time, eyewitness accounts from hunters or hikers who claim to have seen the cat. One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". They have almost been killed off a few times, but conservation efforts have helped to keep their numbers stable. If we say it ain't so, it ain't so! 1.8 miles, 2 hours, moderate. Martinelli said that if there were mountain lions in Pennsylvania, there would be more sightings of them. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. I believe that the folks that are reporting, in detail, their sightings are faced with a similar situation. By the time he returned the vehicle was gone, and so was the cat, and no mention was ever made of this road kill in a radio or newspaper report. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. 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. Over 1,100 people follow her page. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. 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. Goggling Eastern Puma brings up other web sites, however, with varying levels of professionalism or credibility. "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. They ponder rare fossil evidence unearthed and seek to make sense of stratified geology, both fleeting in the face of what we call progress. Note the size of the tail, the pointed ears, the speckled coat, the basic lack of white underneath. 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. Several populations of Gray Squirrels scattered around the country are black, and recently I heard of a neighborhood of black Eastern Chipmunks. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? Can so many people be wrong? That summer, a team from the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg excavated the nearly complete skeleton of the ancient elephant, the first of its kind found in the Commonwealth. . Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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.). 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. If youve done any research on your own, you may have noticed that we didnt include a lot of states that have had cougar sightings, especially in the last few years. 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. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? The mountains and isolated forests of the state allow these large cats to live their lives without encountering humans very often. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. "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. "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. Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no wild, breeding cougar populations in this state anymore. I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. . 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 . In July and August I received seven different reports, and everyone involved had done a search of some type to compare images of bobcats and pumas. 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 you see a puma (mountain lion-cougar), contact me. Note the long, usually thick tail. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. 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. Hunters I've spoken with said they've been told you can't kill a puma, which they felt was ironic since the same official told them pumas don't exist in Pa. At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. I'll offer my own little anecdote. Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. After all, how many people have pumas? The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. There had been 17 other mastodon finds in Pennsylvania up to 1968, but all were fragmentary. Most, quite honestly, don't know or can't believe or accept what they saw, they really can't believe their eyes. 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. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. 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. It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. 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. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? 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! Let me explain this. The reintroduction of mountain lions into South Dakota is one of the great wins of modern conservation. A few could, perhaps, be mistaken idenity. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. Others would like to see some scientific proof. I am bothered by the constricted neck of the cat on the game camera; 2. the tail is curved down, rather than up, but it may have been in mid-swing; 3. the goldenrod-appearing flower, and the background of cars, gives a sense of scale and location. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! 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. Florida is the only state on the east coast with a breeding population of mountain lions. They're common in the rural areas of the Lehigh Valley but are moving into more populated areas as evidenced by a 600-pound specimen (pictured) that was tranquilized in March after neighbors in. Although in captivity, they can live much longer. Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. Leslie estimated that the first humans making up the Paleo-Indians lived in the upper Delaware valley as early as 11,000 B.C. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. What the Lenape Indians never did, the European colonists and their descendants did swiftly eradicate the wolf and cougars viewed as a menace to their families and livestock. 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. A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. Other states have had sightings, especially as mountain lion populations begin to explore and look to expand. The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. 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. Puma vs Mountain Lion: Is There a Difference? 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 to the East. A total of 32 mountain lions have been struck and killed by vehicles in the study area since 2002. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? Then there is Rocky. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? What is the Kiboko backpack? I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? 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. The life cycle then repeats itself. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. 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 can live in almost any habitat including forests, prairies, deserts, and swamps. As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? A tiny population of Florida cougars persists in the southeastern corner of the United States. ? 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? The next day, the photo disappeared from the site. "There hasn't been one solid piece of proof to believe they are here. He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. He notes how over the millennia, the region was inhabited by humans, only to be depopulated by migration brought on by the search of food due to a fickle climate, war or epidemic. All rights reserved. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. A mastodon's skull was first located in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, on July 5, 1968. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. "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. "I kind of doubt they saw a cougar, but I'm not God.". The record size for this species is 8 feet, and it probably weighed 15 to 20 pounds, which shows how exaggerated this claim is. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? 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. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. After a gestation period of 90 days, female mountain lions will give birth to litters of about one to six cubs. What would account for the long tails? Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? 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. (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). For our list, we only included US states with a stable breeding population. The coat can be spotted or solid and varies in color from light browns, reddish and silvery grey. The coat can be spotted or solid. (National Park Service). Over the last few years I've done several Questions of the Month regarding Mountain Lions, or Pumas as they should properly be called, in the Mid-Atlantic States and in Pennsylvania. Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? 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. Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. 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. 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. Had this been faked, I'd suspect the hoaxter would try for a more authentic background. I don't know if a Game Commission authority has actually said this or not, but people I've spoken to have reported this. It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. 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. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . He wrote that not being a roving animal, the mountain lion was much sooner destroyed than the wolf, and he said that if there were any left, it would have to be in the most desolate places in the county. Where they always here as a relic population? The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. Have some feedback for us? 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. The large, undeveloped interior filled with rocky habitats perfect for mountain lions allows them to safely live and breed. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. Archived Questions of the Month But this one was black, and he knows mountain lions are some variant of brown. Still, people say they know what they saw out there. There is a big community of mountain lion enthusiasts across the Northeast convinced that the animals still exist in breeding populations. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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.

Marshall Berman Obituary, Steensons Funeral Announcements, North Dakota State Hospital For The Insane Records, Usssa Banned Bats 2022, Articles A