Joseph Pugliese 2.2K views 7 years ago Beautiful Bobcat in our yard as our. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. Possibly, but it seems unlikely that enough would have been released or had escaped to make for a viable population. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. Everyone else, when reporting, were frustrated as they were told they had seen a bobcat. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? 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? 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. A brief look, yes, but no question we saw a coyote. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. Let me explain this. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? All rights reserved (About Us). They mostly live in the far western Trans-Pecos region of the state, with about 50,000 to 80,000 acres of suitable land currently being used by the cat. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Travis Lau, a spokesperson for the Game Commission, said the state has a "never say never" approach when it comes to mountain lions and acknowledges that Western cats could be moving east. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? A total of 32 mountain lions have been struck and killed by vehicles in the study area since 2002. 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.). No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. Lions in the Santa Monica Mountains - National Park Service They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. Only when I reviewed the images on my laptop did I discover that I had a mountain lion! 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? It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. 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. The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. 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. 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. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. But an image captured by one family's. One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. After a gestation period of 90 days, female mountain lions will give birth to litters of about one to six cubs. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". See also: The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . "I know they're native to this area. 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! Leslie estimated that the first humans making up the Paleo-Indians lived in the upper Delaware valley as early as 11,000 B.C. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. 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. Big cats in Pennsylvania: mountain lions or bobcats? - Pocono Record In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? 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. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? Who knows? There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! 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. The Poconos is a mountain area in northeastern Pennsylvania.It is 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains and valleys full of beautiful lakes, rivers, forests and wildlife. Officially extinct, mountain lions still haunt the Adirondacks Just take your pick of all these incredible Pocono lake house rentals or just a Pocono cabin for rent, in luxury of course! Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Are Mountain Lions in Missouri Making a Comeback? Archived Questions of the Month The state of Idaho is large, expansive, and full of rocky wilderness. When he isn't distracted by his backyard birdfeeder, you can find him camping, exploring, and telling everyone around him about what he's recently learned. Most, quite honestly, don't know or can't believe or accept what they saw, they really can't believe their eyes. Mountain lions, Goodrich wrote, were more dreaded than wolves as the cat could climb over any fence that could be built. Mt Lions in WV, NY, and PA - Hoot Hollow They have almost been killed off a few times, but conservation efforts have helped to keep their numbers stable. The 'look' is from my That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. But no one that I've communicated with had these preconceptions, and seeing what they saw was a complete surprise. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. Who knows? I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. 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. Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a great litter of boulders, rocks, clay and lakes covering today's landscape. With that hope in mind, I have, for years, asked outdoors people if they ever heard of a mountain lion, or puma, in their area -- with my questioning limited to people in my home state of Pennsylvania. One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. For example, one man I interviewed said he saw a 'black' puma, and this should disqualify his sighting as a black puma has never been recorded. 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. The State argues that there is no physical evidence, and no credible photographs. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" 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. The cat was far enough away that I couldn't get a size reference, and I believed the cat was further away than it actually was. In Tennessee, the most likely places you would find them would be in the forest. He said he'd never forget the sighting, but it was only when he saw another, a few months ago, in daylight, from his cabin, that he decided it was time to tell someone. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Wishful thinking? Pocono Mountains: Best Things To See And Do - TravelAwaits The bounty for adult wolves and cougars was raised on March 16, 1819 to $12. But this one was black, and he knows mountain lions are some variant of brown. Those cats for which DNA evidence was recovered had come east from South Dakota, part of the known, modern-day, U.S. mountain lion range. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. 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. September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. The Bushkill Falls are a series of eight waterfalls in a 300-acre wooded enclave hidden amongst the Poconos. Goggling Eastern Puma brings up other web sites, however, with varying levels of professionalism or credibility. Mountain Lion Population (In Each U.S. State) - Wildlife Informer Compare any game camera image with the shots above, or this game camera image, to confirm your identification. Only once has anyone later determined that they had misidentified the cat, seeing a bobcat and not a mountain lion. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. Then there is Rocky. 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. Once a mountain lion matures, it will leave its mother and find its own territory. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. 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. Can so many people be so wrong? 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. Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. 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. Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several 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. 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. "If my son would have been on a pedal bike, without a helmet on, that thing would have nailed him," said Walters, 44. He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). Would my mountain ridge be declared 'Critical Habitat' for the puma? years are available through this link. If it were, it would be listed. 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. 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). Does the mountain lion roam Pa? - Pocono Record I believe that the folks that are reporting, in detail, their sightings are faced with a similar situation. Imagine my surprise. They're seeing an animal they don't know or recognize, and while some may be watching a smaller bobcat about 35 pounds), some believe they've actually spotted a cougar. More conclusive evidence is needed: Keep your cameras handy. Some outdoor enthusiasts insist they have seen the big cats here and believe them to be naturally occurring, native animals. 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. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . "Given the period of time that has passed without verification of even a single eastern puma, the service concludes that the last remaining members of this subspecies perished decades ago," the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a Federal Register notice. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Where reports dating that far back from escapees? About half of the state of Montana is ideal for mountain lions, primarily in her western and central regions. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? "We should be getting more pictures. This one streaked across the road in the early evening, and fortunately, it stopped when it climbed a hill on the other side where I had another view from my side of the truck. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. 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. original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might