But the point of this article isn't whether or not mountain lions exist in Pennsylvania or the Poconos. 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.". The bones were found perfectly preserved. When he told me this, he commented on how an experience like the one he and his friends had just is not forgotten. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. Interestingly, the US Fish and Wildllife Service has declared the Eastern Puma extinct, except for the Florida population known as the Florida panther. 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? The rocky habitat that covers much of the state is perfect for these ambush predators, especially since humans dont inhabit much of the land. How do I deal with shaving weight for carrying my gear? Where can I find Depth of Field reference charts? In his 1973 book "Faces in Clay" Leslie lays open the archaeological treasures of stone arrow or spear points and tools lost long ago by a succession of native peoples. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". Had this been faked, I'd suspect the hoaxter would try for a more authentic background. A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. They include a reported attack on horses at a farm near Dillsburg, York County, that Foster thinks may be legitimate. 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. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. A mastodon's skull was first located in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, on July 5, 1968. "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. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. 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!' Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? It is an Italianate Villa home that features authentic Victorian furniture and finishing. He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. 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? The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. 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. 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). 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. I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. 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). 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. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. In Tennessee, the most likely places you would find them would be in the forest. I don't know if a Game Commission authority has actually said this or not, but people I've spoken to have reported this. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. 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. Mountain lions can live in almost any habitat including forests, prairies, deserts, and swamps. Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled. Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. 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. 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. 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. (National Park Service). 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. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. And yes, there are people in Pennsylvania who say they exist here. Note the long, usually thick tail. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? 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. RelatedBigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know. If we don't see it, it doesn't exist. There is a big community of mountain lion enthusiasts across the Northeast convinced that the animals still exist in breeding populations. 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.). Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. The same goes for New York and several other eastern states. 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? 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. DNA collected from the mountain lion killed on a roadway in Connecticut in 2011 showed the animal to have originated in South Dakota. 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. . Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? As the latest hoaxed photo of a mountain lion supposedly killed in Pennsylvania died a slow death on Facebook yesterday, the head of an organization tracking the eastern movements of the big cats was preparing a presentation for a Pennsylvania audience tonight. 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. And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. 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. Confirmed cougar sightings have increased in the Midwest and Great Lakes states in recent years.". Mountain lions (cougars, pumas, and more) are among the top predators that live in the United States. 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? The coat can be spotted or solid. 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). The large, undeveloped interior filled with rocky habitats perfect for mountain lions allows them to safely live and breed. 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. Martinelli said that if there were mountain lions in Pennsylvania, there would be more sightings of them. 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. 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. (National Park Service). An escapee is also possible. 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. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. The bounty for adult wolves and cougars was raised on March 16, 1819 to $12. About six months ago I posted the question, Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. 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! The next day, the photo disappeared from the site. In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. Same story as 'black panthers' across the country, because of course there, scientifically, can be no such thing. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. 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. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). If you see or photograph a puma in the mid-Atlantic states, please email or call me. 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. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? The mountain lion is a large, slender cat, with a long rope-like tail. The record size for this species is 8 feet, and it probably weighed 15 to 20 pounds, which shows how exaggerated this claim is. 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. Each year, over tha past five, I've spoken with at least one person who swears they personally saw a puma in this state. 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. The agency has declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies ofmountain lions native to North America. What would account for the long tails? Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? 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. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. The state of Arizona is home to a large, stable population of mountain lions. He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. I'll offer my own little anecdote. 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. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. Some outdoor enthusiasts insist they have seen the big cats here and believe them to be naturally occurring, native animals. It had been captured in Florida, and was to be released. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? The other site, The Cougar Network, is still active, and is reporting the cats expanding range from the West, but offers little about the phenomenon of Pennsylvania cats. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". Mountain lions have an interesting life cycle that consists of a few different characteristics. The 'look' is from my 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. Every year we receive a few similar reports from hikers, hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts. 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. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. He saw a big cat. 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! If you can figure out how to travel far back in time for even a day, get lots of wildlife photos, as the rest of us might never believe your story. Me? Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. What equipment do we take in the field? 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. 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. Where they always here as a relic population? Bobcats, feral cats and domestic dogs may be misidentified as mountain lion. Did they migrate south from Canada? Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. More conclusive evidence is needed: Keep your cameras handy. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? Can so many people be so wrong? 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. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. Let me know if you have seen one! The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. 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. Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). "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. Woolly mammoth bones were discovered in Bradford County in 1983. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. Very, very rarely, when I ask someone who would be a likely candidate (a hunter, someone who owns a camp in the deep woods, travels likely routes often, foresters), 'Have you ever seen a mountain lion?' "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. The large tracts of untouched rocky land and bighorn sheep populations make for pristine mountain lion habitat. Murray said Rocky was emaciated and chained when she found him at a private zoo. Interestingly, almost all of the people I've spoken to who claim to have seen a puma have not seen a bobcat, an animal that is common enough in Pennsylvania to support a legal trapping season! Just take your pick of all these incredible Pocono lake house rentals or just a Pocono cabin for rent, in luxury of course! The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Of interestRamapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization. Thank you for reading! 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. The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos / p o k n o z /, are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania.They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. Leslie estimated that the first humans making up the Paleo-Indians lived in the upper Delaware valley as early as 11,000 B.C. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "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. Only once has anyone later determined that they had misidentified the cat, seeing a bobcat and not a mountain lion. ? 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. 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. Now, forty years ago coyotes were rare or almost nonexistent in Pennsylvania, and had had that same sighting back then, when coyotes were thought not to exist within the state we would have had the 'facts' to doubt what we saw. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. Depends on who you talk to, I guess. The life cycle then repeats itself.
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