(PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. Oregon has a large, stable breeding population of mountain lions. 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. For our list, we only included US states with a stable breeding population. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. Then there is Rocky. Check out the tails of the two! The Florida panther is an endemic subspecies of cougar that has lived in the everglades region for a very long time. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". An animal's coat can stray far from the norm. I've done this myself once, in Tanzania, when I saw a black house cat that I thought was a black leopard! Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania Can so many people be so wrong? I don't believe someone's imagination could stretch a six inch long tail to three feet! 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 head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. The same goes for New York and several other eastern states. There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. 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. Cougar Network tracks mountain lion expansion from the western U.S. to the east. 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. They include a reported attack on horses at a farm near Dillsburg, York County, that Foster thinks may be legitimate. One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. "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. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. 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. When he told me this, he commented on how an experience like the one he and his friends had just is not forgotten. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Over the last few months several people have responded to this question with reports of their own. 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. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. 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. I believe them. That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. The other two clans were the Turtle and Turkey. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. 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 Michigan, there has been multiple sightings of 'black panthers,' animals that were thought to be mountain lions, or pumas, except that they were black. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. 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. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. The bobcat wouldn't survive. See also: Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. I Googled "Pocono mountain lion" and there it was the same photo, except the caption claimed that it was taken in Oklahoma, not Pennsylvania, and various posted comments asserted that the photo was manipulated. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). The image in the Upper Left was from a Game Camera, sent to me by a friend. 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. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Recently, a man I spoke with told me that he was reminded of a sighting he and two friends had 20 years earlier, and after recalling the incident he was motivated to call his college buddies and reflect on their observation. Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a mountain lion migrated about 1,500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut where it was killed by a. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. 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. In the area around the border of Pennsylvania and West Virginia there are mountains and deep caves that contain some of the coal mines that were a major part of the state's industry in the early part of the 19 th century. 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. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. Many have a desire to see some clear-cut evidence. . It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. 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. I'm thinking of the solution often suggested for pesky endangered species out west, namely wolves and grizzly bears. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. 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. Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. And yes, there are people in Pennsylvania who say they exist here. 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. Any Truth A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. The agency has declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies ofmountain lions native to North America. One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). 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. A total of 32 mountain lions have been struck and killed by vehicles in the study area since 2002. 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. 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. Well, right behind our property lies a mountain ridge, one of several that makes a continuous forest that extends, with little interruption, for scores of miles in three directions. A brief look, yes, but no question we saw a coyote. 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. This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not What is the Kiboko backpack? Recently, on a back road in Pennsylvania, a friend and I had our first sighting of a coyote in Pennsylvania. Why is bat photography so difficult? 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? 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. It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". In books I've read critical or skeptical or down-right dismissive of the idea of pumas in the East, the argument has been advanced that the hopefull puma-dreamer/spotters arguing that the State needs to prove pumas don't exist does not mean that in the State not proving this means that pumas indeed do exist in this state. 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. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. 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. "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. The State argues that there is no physical evidence, and no credible photographs. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". On the second night, a mountain lion passed by, apparently drawn by the smell but put off by the stench, as the cat did not visit the kill. What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. 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! I believe Kross fully, but I wanted to hear more. Nevertheless, I put up a MOULTRIE game camera -- a brand that I've had tremendous satisfaction with -- at the carcass, hoping that scavengers would visit. Some outdoor enthusiasts insist they have seen the big cats here and believe them to be naturally occurring, native animals. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. 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! Wishful thinking? 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. "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. "From people that I trust have had visual sightings, they've seen mountain lions.". Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. 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. DCNR gave the following as examples: the saber-tooth cat; a small, three-toed horse; the Pleistocene beaver, and the mastodon. 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). Imagination? Looking for things to do in the Poconos? 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. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. This is actually a good thing, as genetic isolation generally weakens a species. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. Where they always here as a relic population? But the point of this article isn't whether or not mountain lions exist in Pennsylvania or the Poconos. Other states have had sightings, especially as mountain lion populations begin to explore and look to expand. 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. Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? 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. Both were a threat to the farmer and family who carved a home in the ancient wilderness of the Poconos. (National Park Service). 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. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? It was definitely a mountain lion, and it had a big buck, white-tailed deer in its jaws. "I know they're native to this area. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! 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 cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. 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. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. Thank you for reading! 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. I'll be anxious to learn of your report. All of these forests are, with few exceptions, open to hunting, and hunting is a very important industry in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia. The bounty for adult wolves and cougars was raised on March 16, 1819 to $12. It had been captured in Florida, and was to be released. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. Mountain Lion Reports These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. The 'look' is from my (570) 325-3229. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. "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. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Confirmed cougar sightings have increased in the Midwest and Great Lakes states in recent years.". And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Is there a Puma conspiracy? Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. Two other reports went, in detail, on what they saw, the size, the length of tail, etc. If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! Below is a list of physical characteristics that distinguish mountain lions from more . Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. In some areas, entire populations of a species exhibit this trait, for unlike albinism, which results in a conspicuous white color and light-sensitive pink eyes, there are no ill effects with melanism. Scientists debate whether the large prehistoric mammals became extinct at the end of the Ice Age due to over-hunting, or rapid climate warming. In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. These experiences are still available, but the reality is there is so much more for the mature traveler to enjoy in the Pocono Mountains. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. 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). Puma vs Mountain Lion: Is There a Difference? Illinois can also now be added to this list a mountain lion was found on the outskirts of Chicago. In 2016, a trail cam photo in South Jersey was later determined to show a house cat. The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. If pumas do exist in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, could they all be released cats or escapees? It was decided that this shouldn't influence the decision and, in fact, an infusion of new genes produces a hybrid vigor, lessening the chance of in-breeding. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? 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).

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