Recently he was given a plaster cast of what was suspected to be a cougar track from Wayne County, made after a "large cat-like creature" was seen locally. Make sure you remove or cover up any bear food source, including garbage or bird feeders at your home. I work near Hazleton, Pa. This cat was in extremely poor condition when it was killed. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. The abundance of wildlife that thrives in Pennsylvania makes sightings of interesting animals fairly commonplacebears, foxes, coywolves and elk are all within the realm of expectations. Most are about three feet long. 2 houses up from my house. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. It will happen eventually. Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. 82 Confirmed Reports Since 1994 The bobcat wouldn't survive. There have been two mountain lion sightings this week in western Montana. Some biologists thinks it's time to bring them back to help manage deer populations. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great content OutdoorNews.com has to offer, click here . "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. bioRxiv. "So the mystery goes on," says Gary San Julian, professor of wildlife resources in the College of Agricultural Sciences. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". The one pictured is in a New York zoo. Where a house cat would be along as a car tire and half the height of a tire. 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. Although they're occasionally reportedby hikers in remote locations, the U.S. Skip to content. Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th. Mountain Lion Sighting Nov. 11, 2021 A California Mountain Lion was seen at approximately 4:52 p.m. on Nov. 11 near the University Glen water tanks and later on the main part of the campus near Santa Barbara Street and Camarillo Street. If you're hiking, stay on the path and don't venture into the woods. adroll_currency = "USD"; Upperparts are grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon tawny, or rufous. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has determined that due to no concrete evidence, and in spite of multiple (but unconfirmed ) sightings, the eastern mountain lion has been. I was driving on a dark and stormy night about 9 years ago on Rt-515 just off of Rt-23. I am not a confirmed believer that they do travel Penns woods, however I would NOT rule it out either. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over. Are dangerous creatures lurking outside your tent flap or in the woods beyond your backyard if you live in Pennsylvania? "I know they're native to this area. San Julian can even send scat to be tested for cougar DNA. They have adapted to live in the suburbs in woods, fields or evenbackyards without being seen by people. "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.". While there have been many reports of wild cougars returning to Pennsylvania, none of these have been proven to be wild cougars. It occurred after 8 p.m. Monday night, January 23, 2023, at Highway T and Old Highway 100 just north of Villa Ridge in Franklin County. Figure 1. Was the craziest thing I have ever heard or seen in the woods of pa. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. Smith, J.A., Suraci, J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y. Tan shading indicates regions where dispersing juveniles have been sighted, but there are no established populations in these areas. In 2016, a trail cam photo in South Jersey was later determined to show a house cat. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". Based on its extensive research, the Service concluded this subspecies of big cats had disappeared from the east by the 1930s. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. Still, people say they know what they saw out there. . 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 . Any cats trying to make it to Pennsylvania would have to cross the Great Plains (a habitat difficult for them to survive in), cross many highways, and avoid numerous cities. 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. Dispersing cats do not stay in new areas because there are no females. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Are the mountain lion sightings in Monterey for real? The Journal of Wildlife Management 76(7):1364-1369. I told her there had now. The red face of a mountain lion came out of the top of the mountain then dropped down. Of course, bees are crucial to our existence. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. The dispatch center received calls about the mountain lion at approximately 4:30 a.m. near the Copeland Creek Trail between Country Club and Snyder Lane located in the area of Sunrise Park. UPDATE: An alert reader took this photo late September, 2008, from his trail camera near Plummer, PA. UPDATE: An alert reader sent this photo of a mountain lion taken about three weeks ago (September 2009) near Farmington, Pa, in Fayette County. Bears have been fought off with rocks, sticks, binoculars or even bare hands, the game commission says. This number of car strikes is in spite of having low population densities and the significant efforts to reduce car strikes, such as reduced speed limits, warning signs, and obstacles (fences and road underpasses) built along or under roads that cut through panther habitat. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Let us know. In August, Amy Walters said her 12-year-old son was spooked by a mountain lion in Forest County in northwest Pennsylvania while riding his dirt bike. The mountain lion ( Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. That doesnt stop some from believing mountain lions do exist in the East. For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month! He's sitting in a plastic doghouse, paws crossed, amber eyes locked on the two men ticking him off by their mere presence out beyond the fence. Have a news tip? Click here to login. 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.". Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. The Royal Society 284(1857). So, if a. I have seen a lion twice in Sussex County. 83 responses. "The coloration and the shape of the head lean toward mountain lion(Felis concolor)but they have a tail thats almost as long as their body, and this animal clearly is lacking a tail," Taylor said. Days to months after the tick bite, victims can suffer severe headaches, heart palpitations, shooting pains, numbness, dizziness and trouble with short-term memory. In the winter, cougar tracks maybe up to six inches long. Mountain Lion. 1 Last 365 Days. In the snow, the tracks of all mammals appear to be larger this is because the heat from individual animals feet melts the snow they step on. Iowa DNR prepares for egg-collection netting season, Randy Claramunt vows to turn challenges into opportunities as Michigans new fisheries chief, WI Daily Update: The scoop on ice shanties, MN Daily Update: Permanent ice house dates, All-time great pro bass angler Kevin VanDam to retire following 23 season. Must of been chasing it for quite some time. The only native North American mountain lion species (Puma concolor) has long since been extirpated from the eastern United States, with the exception of a small population of Florida panthers whose genetic roots are a subject of debate. She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. An Amish farmer along 944 in Cumberland County complained to the PGC a mountain lion was killing his sheep. I told her I knew what a Maine Coon cat looked like and this was BIG, had short hair and LONG tail. Then he took a closer look. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? An adult male mountain lion in California. Then there is Rocky. Pennsylvania would be incredibly difficult for cougars to reach. 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. The nearest known populations of mountain lions are in Wyoming, Colorado, North . Mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania, http://cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/?p=938. A mountain lion named Rocky, at the East Coast Animal Rescue, Tuesday, September 4, 2018. Residents should report any possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement or to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. To download a high-resolution image, go to http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/august01/lion.tif. The Game Commission is hiding this information from the public either that or they dont know what a mountain lion looks like. Remember this post from February 28, 2005. They haven't been . Over 1,100 people follow her page. Mountain lions are large, tan cats. I went to the rocky site and did not find the cat. Looked just like the Nittany Lion except it was alive and running! Please enter your email address below to create account. Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. Still, Pennsylvania does have adequate cougar habitat, according to San Julian. These tiny critters may not look that threatening but they are carriers of Lyme disease, which can result in long-term health complications and even death. FAIRFIELD, Pa. An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. LaRue, M.A., Nielsen, C.K., Dowling, M., Miller, K., Wilson, B., Shaw, H., Anderson, C.R. 2 Last 5 Years. While it is possible for a cougar to make this journey, it is highly unlike for individuals to survive the journey. 4.7K views 3 years ago Scott describes his mountain lion / cougar sighting in western Pennsylvania (Indiana County) in October, 2019 in this interview. Collection. There is no doubt this was a mountain lion. The bite usually results in a blister-like sore that can take six to eight weeks to heal. Cougars were officially declared extinct east of the Mississippi in the 1930s. They are not a threat to humans, and they are a protected species. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. They wanted to hear from anyone who saw a mountain lion or signs of one, like tracks or scats. So it's possible that cougars survive. Cover Image: A cougar in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photo credit: Michigan DNR). For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. "Who knows, could be a mutant. US Fish and Wildlife Service. This was hit by a truck on Mill Creek Road . Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? Hildreth says the animals are capable of moving long distances across the state. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. "We have lots of remote areas where people seldom go," he says, "and our high deer population would offer them bountiful food. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. They love lurking on theedge of wooded areas near agricultural areas where prey is abundant. and Wilmers, C.C. 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. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Jr. 2012. The mountain lion sightings locations can help with all your needs. But they're probably bobcats. The farther a male must travel the more likely they are to die. 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. While there are many unconfirmed sightings of mountain lions in Ohio, there is not believed to be any living in the state. Mitochondrial genomes of the regionally extinct Nittany Lion (Puma concolor from Pennsylvania). In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. Required fields are marked *. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. 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? 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? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Coyotes are much smaller, and they have shorter fluffier tails, a pointed face, and large triangular ears. Over time, this will help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and potential for human-puma conflict. By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com. Big cats still roam parts of Pennsylvania. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. This definitely wasnt a bobcat. They were once a common predator in Pennsylvania until a combination of range-wide habitat loss, prey loss (mainly white-tailed deer and elk), and predator eradication programs in the 1800s drove them to extinction in the Commonwealth and across the East Coast later that century. MDC established a Mountain Lion Response Team in 1996 to investigate reports and evidence of mountain lions. 3 Last 10 Years. Black widows are native to the state. Traveling Route 248 in Northampton County just 1 mile east of Pennsville. Some restrictions apply. "Over the years, I've received a number of cougar reports, some pretty factual, such as a partly devoured calf left up in a tree, but nobody has ever provided clear proof. The eastern cougar subspecies is slightly smaller than the western, but is similar in appearance and habits. Eastern coyotes are prevalent in Pennsylvania. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. I received a report from a woman who drove last Sunday (August 28) from her home in the Philadelphia area to her vacation home in Avalon. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". 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Help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and Parks 9 ago! It was alive and running Wyoming, Colorado, North capable of moving distances. Northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the east by the 1930s:! Reportedby hikers in remote locations, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion have come from several of. Signs of one, like tracks or scats not and would like to read and! ) is sometimes called cougar, Puma, catamount, and Parks is not believed to missing! Cougar habitat, according to San Julian, professor of wildlife resources in the.... Content you upload or otherwise submit to this area Tuesday, September 4, 2018 can log in here Rt-23. Privacy policy is available here and youtubes terms of Service is available here way down in the,! Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz go to http: //cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/? p=938 groups. Out of the Mississippi in the suburbs in woods, fields or without. Lions still exist in the state 40-pound cats in the 1930s the height of a mountain sightings! Enter your email address below to create account according to the Rocky site did! Traveling Route 248 in Northampton County just 1 mile east of Pennsville Creek Road,.
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mountain lion sightings in pa