A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. "There hasn't been one solid piece of proof to believe they are here. "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). Heres What the Data Says. 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! Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. 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 learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. Once a mountain lion matures, it will leave its mother and find its own territory. Here it is: I still couldn't get the big head/little neck, and the body is a bit stouter/shorter, but a striding cat might be stretched out a bit. Many of the reports I receive are extremely credible. 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. Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). 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. 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. Let me explain this. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. Find cabins in the Poconos, PA near places like Bushkill Falls, Camelback Mountain Resort, and more. Ashley Catherine Fontones, Pocono Record. I receive about one email or phone call a month, on average, from people that I do not know who are contacting me because their sighting compelled them to do a Google search on puma sightings, and they found my site and previously posted questions. 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. 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. Hunting is legal in the state, but it is heavily controlled and restricted. I believe that the folks that are reporting, in detail, their sightings are faced with a similar situation. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. (570) 325-3229. Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. Still, people say they know what they saw out there. That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. The Florida panther is an endemic subspecies of cougar that has lived in the everglades region for a very long time. While the chances that I'll ever see a puma in Pennsylvania myself are virtually zero, I'm always on the alert -- for the bobcat I've never seen in Pa., for a fisher, bear, deer, red salamander, toad, or snake, and yes, I'm always hoping that I too will become one of those who saw something that officially cannot exist within the state, a puma I know I saw but, of course, could not have! Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. 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. Yet, except for Florida, which has about 100 of them "Florida panthers"), no eastern state has a verifiable population of these large 100- to 200-pound cats that were extirpated 100 years ago. 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. Over 1,100 people follow her page. 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. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) also reports evidence that humans arrived during the last glaciation or soon after. Provided by Touchpoints And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. Scientists debate whether the large prehistoric mammals became extinct at the end of the Ice Age due to over-hunting, or rapid climate warming. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. "They're getting a lot of that out west. For information on predator tracks, check out this guide: https://www.wildliferemoval.com/animal-track-identification-guide/, Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. 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. They ponder rare fossil evidence unearthed and seek to make sense of stratified geology, both fleeting in the face of what we call progress. "When I started telling people, most of them didn't believe me, but I will never forget that huge face staring right at me," said a Montgomery County woman who says she saw a lion last summer in Limerick Township while walking her dog. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. 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. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. I hope no one ever shoots a puma to prove their existence here, but I hope someone gets a great photo, of the cat, of a road-kill, of tracks, and that I see it. Big cats in Pennsylvania: mountain lions or bobcats? - Pocono Record Encouraged by the bounties, settlers waged war on these perceived beasts. 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. 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. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. 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. A brief look, yes, but no question we saw a coyote. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. 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. Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. If you see a puma (mountain lion-cougar), contact me. A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. Where they always here as a relic population? Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. 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. So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? 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. What equipment do we take in the field? The bobcat wouldn't survive. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. 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. Other states have had sightings, especially as mountain lion populations begin to explore and look to expand. The bounty for adult wolves and cougars was raised on March 16, 1819 to $12. Penn State's Nittany Lion hide sampled for DNA sequencing, Mountain lion reports in Pennsylvania popular, but often a hoax, More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. 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. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania - Hoot Hollow Archived Questions of the Month Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Same story as 'black panthers' across the country, because of course there, scientifically, can be no such thing. 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.). In this at this distant epoch, archaeologists attempt to clear some of the mists and mysteries of prehistoric times. This happens usually around the 18-month mark. In Yellowstone, definite puma country (perhaps not ideal habitat, but pumas are found in every section of Yellowstone), I've spoken to guys on road crews and with rangers, each with 20 years of field or road experience in Yellowstone, and the ranger had only seen 2 (both road kills and together) and the road crew guys two or three in all their years. Joseph Pugliese 2.2K views 7 years ago Beautiful Bobcat in our yard as our. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. For our list, we only included US states with a stable breeding population. Why is bat photography so difficult? Mountain Lions - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) NPS.gov Park Home Learn About the Park Nature Animals Mammals Mountain Lion Mountain Lion Last updated: May 4, 2018 Was this page helpful? If it were, it would be listed. There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." It was definitely a mountain lion, and it had a big buck, white-tailed deer in its jaws. What is the Kiboko backpack? 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. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? There are, from time to time, eyewitness accounts from hunters or hikers who claim to have seen the cat. "I know they're native to this area. You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. 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. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. My friend was a former hunter and fisherman, and spent a lot of time in the woods, as did I, but neither of us had ever seen a coyote. As they get older, the cubs begin to leave the den and explore. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. Biologists traced it. 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? Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. 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. About six months ago I posted the question, Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? 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. Mountain Lion in Pocono's Pennsylvania Kacie PA 7.9K views 2 years ago Mountain lion in bucks county pa or not? I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. The same goes for New York and several other eastern states. Did they migrate south from Canada? In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! Some cats had a South American genetic profile. 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. I don't believe someone's imagination could stretch a six inch long tail to three feet! Mountain Lion Habitat in Tennessee - ArcGIS StoryMaps The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Most of the native mountain lions live in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, but humans rarely ever see them due to their secretive nature. 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. 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). . Bobcats, feral cats and domestic dogs may be misidentified as mountain lion. He saw a big cat. 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. (National Park Service). The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. 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 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. Caribou meat apparently was part of their diet. Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. Pa Mountain lion, cougar, or big cat in bucks county Pennsylvania Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? 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. This animal was undoubtedly a bobcat. But many others believe wild mountain lions are traveling from Western states, where as many as 30,000 could exist, and across the Midwest to Pennsylvania seeking new territory. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Can so many people be so wrong? This is not a Pennsylvania puma! 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. Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. "If my son would have been on a pedal bike, without a helmet on, that thing would have nailed him," said Walters, 44. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. Everyone else, when reporting, were frustrated as they were told they had seen a bobcat. It was estimated to be a young adult American Mastodon that had died about 12,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating. If we say it ain't so, it ain't so! 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. Others would like to see some scientific proof. 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. Then there is Rocky. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. "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. Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. Let me explain this. Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. Compare any game camera image with the shots above, or this game camera image, to confirm your identification. 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. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. I am hoping that more and more people will learn of my own interest in this, and will pass on this information and that I'll receive more reports and, hopefully, sometime, a game camera photo that is definitive. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. 10 Stunning Mountains In Pennsylvania - AZ Animals "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. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. 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. Of course, the writer's comments were hearsay, but it does make sense. In January, the U.S. 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 Game Commission concluded they were coyotes. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions - AZ Animals There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. "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. 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. Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. Where can I find Depth of Field reference charts? 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. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. "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. 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. Cougar Network tracks mountain lion expansion from the western U.S. to the east. Furthermore, a different set of photos showed a "mountain lion" dragging a deer into the woods in Bradford County. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. A tiny population of Florida cougars persists in the southeastern corner of the United States. I'll offer my own little anecdote. 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. 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. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. 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. It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. 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. 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. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. 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. No An official form of the United States government. The story behind our new web site. One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. Have some feedback for us? Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not The bones were found perfectly preserved. Mountain Lion Reports Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. Those special two were across a river just outside Glacier National Park in Montana, and consisted of a mother and two cubs (Mary saw both cubs, I only saw one, and we did so separately, as we were driving two vehicles). Just take your pick of all these incredible Pocono lake house rentals or just a Pocono cabin for rent, in luxury of course! with a fluted projectile point were found near Middletown, Orange County, New York. Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. Eastern mountain lion officially declared extinct - pennlive.com They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. One man sent me a game camera photo that was blurry but looked like a mountain lion, or puma, as I like to call them. 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! Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled, 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. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. Like Arizona, New Mexico is the perfect home for mountain lions. It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". Editor's note: The Pocono Record and Tri-County Independent have collaborated for a series of stories called Mountain Beasts: Pocono cryptids, legends and lore. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. 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. 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. I've looked in the PGC game laws booklet and saw nothing on this, which I guess you could conclude means a puma would not be legal to shoot. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? - pennlive.com 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. Who knows? Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. Can so many people be wrong? Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. How, Who, and Why? The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. Recently, on our Arizona Hummingbird and Bat Photo Shoot, I found a deer that had been hit by a car and had moved off to die beside a stream just 200 yards upstream from our lodge. 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? Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. The 6 best hikes in the Poconos Mountains - Lonely Planet a high priority. 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.
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