2021. "We do not believe that there are any wild, native, breeding cougar populations in Pennsylvania. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. The Game Commission is hiding this information from the public either that or they dont know what a mountain lion looks like. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. Hawley, J.E., Rego, P.W., Wydeven, A.P., Schwartz, M.K., Viner, T.C., Kays R., Pilgrim, K.L., and Jenks, J.A. Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a . The one pictured is in a New York zoo. After hearing of alleged sightings over the years -- sketchy reports of rural folks listening to big cat screams in the night, inconclusive paw prints, photos and videos that never materialized and the occasional unexplained livestock killing -- a cougar carcass was supposed to be delivered to university wildlife experts for necropsy. Still, you just never know". If you're hiking, stay on the path and don't venture into the woods. "I hear rumors all the time about mountain lion sightings," said Brian Anderson, deputy game protector for Northumberland County. Lutz and several other volunteers are planning to travel to Bedford County within a few days of the next snowfall, in fact, to look for cougar sign because several sightings have been reported there in recent months. Lion sightings they got. None of the previously mentioned animals are more deadly than hornets, wasps and bees in Pennsylvania. Most spiders have fangs to deliver venom, but only two in Pennsylvania have bites withserious medical implications for humans: the black widow (pictured) and the brown recluse. FAIRFIELD, Pa. An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. State wildlife authorities have no record of the incident and the promised cougar carcass never arrived. In January, the U.S. If you have an encounter with a mountain lion, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays: CPW Headquarters (Denver): (303) 297-1192. Coyotes are also confused for cougars (Figure 2). I am not a confirmed believer that they do travel Penns woods, however I would NOT rule it out either. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Biologists traced it back to the Black Hills of South Dakota, from where it ventured nearly 2,000 miles looking for a new mate. I have seen a large cat on several occasions driving home at night from work. The eastern massasauga is endangered in Pennsylvania. While there are many unconfirmed sightings of mountain lions in Ohio, there is not believed to be any living in the state. 3 Last 10 Years. "They are very strong animals," she said. They are not a threat to humans, and they are a protected species. 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.". For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Big cats still roam parts of Pennsylvania. I have seen three mountain lions in pa. One full grown in Erie county in 1998 and two kittens (yes I am sure they were mountain lions, not bobcats) in McKean county in 2001. I saw a large black cat about the size of a mediym sized dog walking towards my car in pike county What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. "I have been in this business long enough not to doubt what people say they have seen," says San Julian, "but I think most sightings are escaped pets or animals released by people.". Paws 'N' Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. Murray also has a cross-eyed white tiger named Keisha, who crushed chicken bones with ease but delicately stepped into a metal pool to cool off. There have been two mountain lion sightings this week in western Montana. The mystery of whether wild eastern cougars, also commonly known as mountain lions, pumas, or panthers, really survive in the Keystone State might finally unravel. They usually go after rabbits and small game but can kill animals as large as deer, according to pennlive.com. This is roughly three times the length of a bobcat or coyotes stride (~16 inches). (The fear of cougars is unfounded. Stay Alert! Fear of the human super predator reduces feeding time in large carnivores. But many others believe the big cats, also known as cougars and pumas, are traveling into Pennsylvania from western states, leading to persistent alleged sightings. The Dodge family in Clarks Summit, Lackawanna County, captured an image of a big cat strolling behind the fence enclosing their yard and pool. Your email address will not be published. Contact a location near you for products or services. Smith, J.A., Suraci, J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y. If you're bitten by a venomous snake, dial 911 immediately and seek medical attention. They can be easily differentiated by the size of their size (large house cats only weigh 30lb and raccoons 20lbs) and their tails (cougar tails are much longer and wiry). He occasionally inspects "scat" suspected of being left by a mountain lion, and closely examines the animal excrement for food sources, hairs or other clues. The last native. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". EDITORS: Gary San Julian can be reached at 814-863-0401. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. A few captive cougars have escaped over the years, but these cats have been quickly recaptured. (Image via the National Park Service)(), By Jason Nark | The Philadelphia Inquirer. The timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead are close to threatened, according to pennlive.com. Of course, the New Jersey Wildlife people will flat out tell you there are no mountain lions anywhere in New Jersey. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, feline predators such as the eastern cougar, which is also known as the mountain lion, are "extirpated," meaning they're all but wiped out in the northeastern United States. We run through the list from mammals to reptiles to insects. Unfortunately, is it unlikely that cougars will return to Pennsylvania in the near future. Cougars (Puma concolor) are a large cat that goes by many names: panther, catamount, puma, and mountain lion, just to name a few of their over forty common English names. San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. I was driving to work just before sun rise, Late September 2019. Eventually they will reach areas where they never lived, or once lived,and will repopulate that area. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. Repellant can protect exposed skin from ticks. Cougars were seen as threats to humans, livestock, and game species, resulting in unlimited harvest and bounties in some states. Young cougars (one- to two-years old) leave their mothers to establish a new territory. I went to the rocky site and did not find the cat. Eastern mountain lions lived in central Pennsylvania until the late 1800s, according to Foster. Copyright 2023Outdoor News. Cougars need areas without humans because they do not like to be around humans and humans kill them (intentionally and unintentionally). How to find mountain lion sightings near me Open Google Maps on your computer or APP, just type an address or name of a place . Based on its extensive research, the Service concluded this subspecies of big cats had disappeared from the east by the 1930s. Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all different names for the same animal ( Puma concolor ). We heard the fox screaming multiple times before we saw it. . i have seen a mountain lion in Hawks Mountain where persons watch hawk migration about 7 to 10 years ago. A second photo of the cat, though shaded, appears to show more of a splotchy coloration on the animal's front limb. The cougar was photographed as it made its way from Minnesota to Wisconsin. In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. If you see any of these four wild animals in Pennsylvania, definitely keep a safe distance. Then another friend told me his daughter who lives in Clymer PA saw a Game Commission truck go into the woods with a large cage in the back with a mountain lion in the cage. Eastern coyotes are prevalent in Pennsylvania. Turkey vultures return to Ohio a sure harbinger of the coming spring? Confirmed Mountain Lion Reports Watch our Mountain Lions in Missouri video to learn why mountain lions are roaming into our state, how we confirm reported sightings, and what to do in the very unlikely event you encounter a mountain lion. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. Black widows are native to the state. Some of the regional tribes include the Tonkawa, Kiowa and Apache. "But we believe that the likely source is an illegally released animal.". It was not a fleeting glance, I had to stop my car to let it slowly cross the road in front of me. 'Nothing to see here folks, move along'". They came out and investigated. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. 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. This cat was in extremely poor condition when it was killed. In the winter, cougar tracks maybe up to six inches long. It will happen eventually. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Follow Michael & PhillyVoice on Twitter @mtanen88| @thePhillyVoice On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. If you think you see a predatory cat ready to pounce, you're likely mistaken. A lion that was killed by Berks County coal-burners and . The very sad news: there was a PGC ear tag on it. adroll_currency = "USD"; Images from a homeowner's surveillance camera show a tan cat with a long body, beyond a chain-link fence. The red face of a mountain lion came out of the top of the mountain then dropped down. A cougar or puma is like a UFO with four feet.. An attack on a 4-year-old near San Diego is just the latest in a string of mountain lion attacks in California. Without some adaptions and major changes in public opinion, it is unlikely that cougars can be restored in Pennsylvania, as the Adirondacks in 1980s was much less populated than Pennsylvania today. Then it disappeared for some time, until scat was found again in New York, and it was finally killed in Connecticut. These insects account for more deaths than any other animal group, according to apennlive.com report. Skip to content. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Looked just like the Nittany Lion except it was alive and running! The tail of the cat is an excellent identification tool: cougars have two- to three-foot-long wiry tails with a black tip, and bobcats have a short bobbed tail that is only three to eight inches long. Journal of Mammalogy 97(5):1435-1440. Mountain lions also were reportedly sighted in Cape St . The mountain lion is a very large, slender cat with a small head, small rounded ears that are not tufted, very powerful shoulders and hindquarters, and a long, heavy, cylindrical tail. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. http://cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/?p=938, have seen mountain lion in armstrong co.Pa, neibore has seen 2. Wasps are important because they kill off other pest insects such as caterpillars, flies and crickets. A reproducing population of endangered cougars lives in the Everglades, known as the "Florida panthers," and the big cats are so numerous in a number of western states that hunting seasons are allowed. Cougars were extirpated from Pennsylvania before the 1900s and exterminated from the entire East Coast by the 1930s (aside from the Florida panther). If you suspect a coyote is living near you, you should call the state game commission at 610-926-3136. 1. They wanted to hear from anyone who saw a mountain lion or signs of one, like tracks or scats. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. "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. Dispersal can be mean treks as long as 1,000 miles in search of territory. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. 0:57 A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". Its so hard to pin anything down, said John Lutz, the West Virginia man who heads the network, a non-scientific affiliation of mountain lion seekers across the eastern United States. A report in 1981 found that it would be impossible to restore cougars to Adirondack Park in New York because there were too many humans. Secondly, the sightings of mountain lions are likely the result of escaped or released animals that were once captive. No wild cougars have been found in Pennsylvania since their extirpation in 1871. When it came back without the lion, she stopped them and asked why they had let a mountain lion out in the woods. There has never been any conclusive evidence.". Mountain lions are commonly identified by trail camera photographs, tracks, and feces. Denise Kunzig, who lives in Orchard Valley on. While it is possible for a cougar to make this journey, it is highly unlike for individuals to survive the journey. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. When I say large, I mean way bigger than a house cat, about the size of a 60lb dog. Coyotes are much smaller, and they have shorter fluffier tails, a pointed face, and large triangular ears. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Cougars are kept in captivity by a few people, but these cats are large agile wild animals that are not suited to captivity. 82 Confirmed Reports Since 1994 So glad to post. Tan shading indicates regions where dispersing juveniles have been sighted, but there are no established populations in these areas. Add Michael's RSS feed to your feed reader Jr. 2012. Then there is Rocky. I think the mountain lion situation is like that. Evanitsky, M.N., George, R.J., Johnson, S., Dowell, S., and Perry, G.H. Three sightings, in fact, are considered credible and have some backing to them. Murray said Rocky was emaciated and chained when she found him at a private zoo. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over. One solution [to the loss of ginseng] that [this complete nut ] believes will ensure the herbs survival is to reintroduce mountain lions, wolves or other natural predators to the Appalachians. The farther a male must travel the more likely they are to die. An escapee is also possible. All rights reserved. This cat had brown fur with a white underbelly, and a black, brown and white face. The Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reports on a mountain lion sighting in April 2022. The reports, though, continue. 'Nothing to see here folks, move along'", Peregrine falcon expert checks on adorable chicks hatched in Philly City Hall nest, Jersey Shore fisherman gets rare sting from cownose ray, Central Pa. man fights, kills rabid beaver while kayaking with his daughter, Man corrals humongous fish from Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, reported big cat sightings to local police, Figure skating program in Kensington aims to make the sport accessible for local athletes, Philadelphia Zoo's new exhibit includes life-sized dinosaurs and lots of bugs, Ex-football player from Bucks County among new 'Survivor' competitors, Eagles will host Browns for joint practices in preseason, Six Flags to enhance Hurricane Harbor with more water slides, tree house for young kids, Watch every 'Rocky' movie in order and for free on Pluto TV. The buzzards returned in late February, and Steve Pollick says you can mark your calendar by these scavengers exploits. That's not to say that there is not a mountain lion in the wild," he explains. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? Over 1,100 people follow her page. Courtesy photo. Michael Tanenbaum For more information see Terms and Conditions. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; 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. No wonder I have not seen that many rabbits or squirrels lately. Upon investigation, the mountain lion was clearly a Florida panther that had wandered . Lion take a fawn in a swamp 1 mile from my home in the same county. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? They include a reported attack on horses at a farm near Dillsburg, York County, that Foster thinks may be legitimate. Pennlive.com reports trappers kill more than 40,000 of them in Pennsylvania every year. The Everglades1,150 miles south of Pennsylvaniais the only known home to a breeding population of cougars in the East (Figure 1). It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. Was running and had very long stride, at least 6 foot. Mountain lions are large, tan cats. Tumble drying clothes for 10 minutes will kill ticks. Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther (45-170 miles). The report says 58 people suffered allergic reactions and died from stings in Pennsylvania between 2001-13. In one case out of Reading, a sighting of an apparent cheetah turned out to be an African serval that was likely bred and domesticated illegally. They often carry their tails erect, which is rare for cougars and when done clearly has a bow to it; and house cats can have long coats, which is a sharp contrast from the short coat of a cougar. "Hunters tell me, 'Oh yeah, we've seen them, but we love them, and we are not going to shoot them,'" he says. To download a high-resolution image, go to http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/august01/lion.tif. An escapee is also possible. Required fields are marked *. Provided by Touchpoints Ohio. Northeast . She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. Without major changes in both cougar biology, cougar behavior, and public opinion, it is unlikely that cougars can return to the wilds of Pennsylvania. After the male mountain lion was removed from Red Hill Trail on May 11, additional sightings in that area were reported: one on May 16, and two over the weekend of May 19 and 20. Almost all the reported sights have been other animals like bobcats (Lynx rufus), coyotes (Canis latrans), raccoons (Procyon lotor), or large domestic cats (Felis catus). With industrial expansion into the heart of Pennsylvania in the 1700s, mountain lion sightings and attacks became more common as habitat destruction pit settlers against native predators. Fish and Wildlife Service thinks cougars wereprobably wiped out in the 1930s in the eastern United States. Make sure you remove or cover up any bear food source, including garbage or bird feeders at your home. A 2011 study examined cougar attacks across the US and Canada and found that since 1890, there have been only 29 confirmed fatalities.)
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