Why is bat photography so difficult? No An official form of the United States government. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. 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. All rights reserved. I'll offer my own little anecdote. Hunting is legal in the state, but it is heavily controlled and restricted. 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. This, after they were told that there were no pumas in Pa. 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. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. In January, the U.S. Both were a threat to the farmer and family who carved a home in the ancient wilderness of the Poconos. 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. On that note, I was speaking with a Fed Ex driver recently who told me that one of his colleagues had seen what he swore was a dead mountain lion on the side of a road. The coat can be spotted or solid and varies in color from light browns, reddish and silvery grey. 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). With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Here's an example: A man is holding a dead eastern diamondback rattlesnake, which was found in North Carolina and measured more than 9 feet long and weighed 95 pounds. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." Still, people say they know what they saw out there. Have some feedback for us? 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? Check out the tails of the two! You've got a mountain lion story or photo? I don't believe someone's imagination could stretch a six inch long tail to three feet! At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. That's true. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. "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. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. "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. 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. 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. 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. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. 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. More conclusive evidence is needed: Keep your cameras handy. Mountain lions (cougars, pumas, and more) are among the top predators that live in the United States. (National Park Service). You be the judge. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. And yes, there are people in Pennsylvania who say they exist here. 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? Two other reports went, in detail, on what they saw, the size, the length of tail, etc. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. 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. The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. 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? Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). 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. 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. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Although there was no evidence that the 2011 mountain lion ever set foot in Pennsylvania, DNA evidence confirmed that it had been both west and east of the state. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. 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. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. Is it the New Best Pack? I'll be anxious to learn of your report. I've spoken to PGC personnel, two being friends, and neither believe there are pumas in Pa. One cited how a bobcat's tail can be much longer than you expect, although I've never seen a bobcat tail longer than, at most, twice the size of the tails illustrated above of the bobcat. Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. Discover the Little-Known U.S. River Gorge That's, The 9 Best Books About National Parks for Travelers, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback. 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. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. Good luck, and let me know! He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? 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. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! There is a big community of mountain lion enthusiasts across the Northeast convinced that the animals still exist in breeding populations. Perhaps one or more of these Pocono sightings represent early pioneers reclaiming their former territories. The Bushkill Falls are a series of eight waterfalls in a 300-acre wooded enclave hidden amongst the Poconos. 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. Although there was no evidence that the 2011 mountain lion ever set foot in Pennsylvania, DNA evidence confirmed that it had been both west and east of the state. 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. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. Ashley Catherine Fontones, Pocono Record. 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. (570) 325-3229. What equipment do we take in the field? Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. 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). 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 lions, Goodrich wrote, were more dreaded than wolves as the cat could climb over any fence that could be built. But an image captured by one family's. 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. Never has this been more accurate than in today's digital, computerized world. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. 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. 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. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. Can so many people be so wrong? There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. Only once has anyone later determined that they had misidentified the cat, seeing a bobcat and not a mountain lion. In Tennessee, the most likely places you would find them would be in the forest. Thank you for reading! The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Pocono Record's Micaela Hood moves on to Lehigh Valley Public Media 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.". Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. 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. 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. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. 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. However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? How do I deal with shaving weight for carrying my gear? So it happens, and who knows if it is existing in wild pumas in the East. And yet today the debate continues: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? I believe Kross fully, but I wanted to hear more. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. At the end of the last Ice Age, many animals in Pennsylvania died out. It had been captured in Florida, and was to be released. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. 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. Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. I spend a lot of time outdoors, and I've seen about 10 black bears in Pennsylvania, and all within ten miles of my home. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. What is the Kiboko backpack? 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 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. 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. A mastodon's skull was first located in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, on July 5, 1968. 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. 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. 10 Stunning Mountains In Pennsylvania - AZ Animals Where they always here as a relic population? A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. It also mentioned that someone raising a mountain lion without a license may either have let it go when it became too large to handle, or that the animal had escaped. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Bo Ottman is a landscaper in Connecticut who founded an . This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. Other states have had sightings, especially as mountain lion populations begin to explore and look to expand. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. Michelle LaRue, executive director of the Cougar Network and a research ecologist at the University of Minnesota, will discuss the eastern expansion of cougars from their core range in the western U.S. at 7 p.m. in Moravian College's Haupert Union Building, Bethlehem. In the map above, I collected data from the state and on the federal level to find state parks . 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. It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. The image in the Upper Left was from a Game Camera, sent to me by a friend. I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. All rights reserved. It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". Over the last few months several people have responded to this question with reports of their own. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. I've seen about 20 mountain lions, or pumas, in the field, but all but 2 were in Chile. 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. 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. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. Over 1,100 people follow her page. Pa Mountain lion, cougar, or big cat in bucks county Pennsylvania Would a puma then qualify as a native species? At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. The coat can be spotted or solid. Noted Wayne County historian Phineas Goodrich recorded in his 1880 book on local history that the common gray wolf was much more common in this area than the cougar. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. I have not spoken with a Game Commission officer personally, so I don't know whether anyone killing a puma in Pennsylvania could do so without legal repercussions. What would account for the long tails? I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. Knowing that pumas range widely, would my ridge be the only one closed? I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. 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. 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. Currently, there are only 15 states that meet that qualification. By the mid-1900s pumas were eliminated from almost all of the eastern states, and by mid-century were officially extinct east of the Mississippi, except for a remnant population in southern Florida.
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