Obviously, other pumas must be about, and the series of ridges extending north and east and west from my location could all be included as critical habitat as well. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. 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. a high priority. Florida is the only state on the east coast with a breeding population of mountain lions. Possibly, but it seems unlikely that enough would have been released or had escaped to make for a viable population. A Mountain Lion Cover Up 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. They ponder rare fossil evidence unearthed and seek to make sense of stratified geology, both fleeting in the face of what we call progress. 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. The State Museum of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, displays a taxidermy mount of a mountain lion in glass case, with the notation, "This lion, found near Hawk Mountain in Berks County around 1871, is the last native mountain lion known to have been shot in Pennsylvania.". And, some may be escaped or illegally released pets. Armand Martinelli isn't only the mayor of East Stroudsburg, he's also a hunter who is connected with plenty of people in the area. He also published a follow-up on Oct. 15 with the same mountain lion-deer hoax photo, as well as personal stories from several local residents who claim they've seen mountain lions in the Poconos. The state of Arizona is home to a large, stable population of mountain lions. I hope no one ever shoots a puma to prove their existence here, but I hope someone gets a great photo, of the cat, of a road-kill, of tracks, and that I see it. Never has this been more accurate than in today's digital, computerized world. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. Other states have had sightings, especially as mountain lion populations begin to explore and look to expand. . "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. The mountain lion, which is also called a cougar, puma or panther, weighs on average between 75-120 pounds, has long whiskers and a distinctive swooping tail. Mountain Lions - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) It will happen eventually. There isnt an official estimate on mountain lions in the state. The other three images are from my file, selected to most closely approximate the pose of the cat from the game camera. The question is just like in the story of the boy who cried wolf) if that day ever arrives, how will we believe those first, true sightings after so many hoaxes have been perpetrated on the public? No one needs to panic.". Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. The record size for this species is 8 feet, and it probably weighed 15 to 20 pounds, which shows how exaggerated this claim is. Who knows? They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. 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. Recently, on a back road in Pennsylvania, a friend and I had our first sighting of a coyote in Pennsylvania. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. See also: Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. I used to archery hunt for deer, and I spent a lot of time (way too much time) sitting silently in a tree stand waiting for deer. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. 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. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? Is there a Puma conspiracy? In the map above, I collected data from the state and on the federal level to find state parks . ? The same goes for New York and several other eastern states. 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. (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). I haven't seen any reports like that.". 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. He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. 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. Can so many people be wrong? Goodrich said he once saw a mountain lion spring from a thicket and kill a sheep on a public road. How, Who, and Why? "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. The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. Here in central Pennsylvania we live on the outskirts of what one puma-tracking website has as almost the high point of sightings, extending from north-central Pennsylvania in a southwestern diagonal that extends into the mountains of West Virginia. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) also reports evidence that humans arrived during the last glaciation or soon after. I'm thinking of the solution often suggested for pesky endangered species out west, namely wolves and grizzly bears. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). "While confirmed cougar sightings have occurred recently in the wild in the East, there is currently no scientific or physical evidence documenting the continued existence of a population of wild eastern cougars," according to the U.S. Mountain Lion in Pocono's Pennsylvania Kacie PA 7.9K views 2 years ago Mountain lion in bucks county pa or not? Some outdoor enthusiasts insist they have seen the big cats here and believe them to be naturally occurring, native animals. Would that declaration close that ridge to hunting? 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. I've spoken to PGC personnel, two being friends, and neither believe there are pumas in Pa. One cited how a bobcat's tail can be much longer than you expect, although I've never seen a bobcat tail longer than, at most, twice the size of the tails illustrated above of the bobcat. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. There also were camels, sloth and hyena, which migrated elsewhere. I spend a lot of time outdoors, and I've seen about 10 black bears in Pennsylvania, and all within ten miles of my home. She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? Where reports dating that far back from escapees? But more and more people in Pennsylvania, from the Alleghenies to the Poconos to rolling farmlands in York County, claim they are seeing the big cats here, even though the state's "last" native lion, also known as a cougar or puma, was shot and killed in Berks County in 1871 and the feds have declared the Eastern subspecies extinct. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! I believe Kross fully, but I wanted to hear more. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? There are controlled hunting laws in the state of Oregon. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. 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. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". 25 Best Things to Do in The Pocono Mountains Area (for 2023) An article in last year's New York State Conservationist magazine about mountain lions concluded that none exists in that state, even in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Mountain wilderness. In January, the U.S. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! RelatedBigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? I'm wondering, then, if the complete dismissal of sightings of Eastern pumas (other than the acknowledgement of released or escaped pets) isn't motivated by economics. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one. Pocono beasts: Mastodons, wolves, cougars once abundant in region She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. That may be true, or was once true, but even a declawed puma, if it can survive off rabbits and squirrels, and breeds, its offspring would be fully equipted to survive. The mountains and isolated forests of the state allow these large cats to live their lives without encountering humans very often. Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. 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. 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. Several populations of Gray Squirrels scattered around the country are black, and recently I heard of a neighborhood of black Eastern Chipmunks. In 2016, a trail cam photo in South Jersey was later determined to show a house cat. Had this been faked, I'd suspect the hoaxter would try for a more authentic background. Like Arizona, New Mexico is the perfect home for mountain lions. The story behind our new web site. Among other uses, the tax was levied "for destroying wolves, foxes, heads and crows." Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. ? Still, people say they know what they saw out there. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no wild, breeding cougar populations in this state anymore. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. Are the various States guilty of essentially the same thing? 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.). If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! Woolly mammoth bones were discovered in Bradford County in 1983. I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. It was definitely a mountain lion, and it had a big buck, white-tailed deer in its jaws. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. The life cycle then repeats itself. 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. Everyone else, when reporting, were frustrated as they were told they had seen a bobcat. 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. It was estimated to be a young adult American Mastodon that had died about 12,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? 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. Are There Mountain Lions In Pa? - CLJ After all, skeptics often suggest that puma sightings are just deer sightings, so it would be logical to worry that a hunter might shoot an endangered puma, mistaking it for a brown deer. The State Museum of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, displays a taxidermy mount of a mountain lion in glass case, with the notation, "This lion, found near Hawk Mountain in Berks County around 1871, is the last native mountain lion known to have been shot in Pennsylvania. 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! Bushkill Falls Trail. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Puma vs Mountain Lion: Is There a Difference? All rights reserved (About Us). The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. Only when I reviewed the images on my laptop did I discover that I had a mountain lion! 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. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? 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. A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. And a bit of an unpleasant one at that, as they now faced ridicule or doubt whenever they discussed their sightings. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? - pennlive.com Certainly it is a romantic notion, but I've always held out the hope that pumas still roamed the east. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." Fish and Wildlife Service. Interesting, too, are the reports I've heard from people who were told that they would be in big trouble if they shot a puma. Caribou meat apparently was part of their diet. There is a big community of mountain lion enthusiasts across the Northeast convinced that the animals still exist in breeding populations. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. The Florida panther is an endemic subspecies of cougar that has lived in the everglades region for a very long time. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Pocono Mountains: Best Things To See And Do - TravelAwaits 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. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. An assessment list for Lower Smithfield Township in 1761 when it was part of Northampton County (Monroe having not yet been created) taxed "three pence per pound and shillings per head" laid on the land and inhabitants. Of course, the writer's comments were hearsay, but it does make sense. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? Where they always here as a relic population? There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. 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. 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. Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. 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. years are available through this link. I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. 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. 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. However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. 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. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. Let me explain this. They regularly join the camp of those angrily claiming the commission has introduced the big cats back into Pennsylvania as a control measure against the state's huge deer population. 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. Biologists traced it. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. "From three really reliable sources who are always around the woods from Monroe County to Bradford, there is no doubt that there are mountain lions in Pennsylvania," East Stroudsburg University football team offensive coordinator and avid hunter Mike Terwilliger said. Each year, over tha past five, I've spoken with at least one person who swears they personally saw a puma in this state. 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. Others would like to see some scientific proof. Are there pumas, or mountain lions, in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic States? Did they migrate south from Canada? Who knows? Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. Over the last few months several people have responded to this question with reports of their own. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. Note the long, usually thick tail. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. More conclusive evidence is needed: Keep your cameras handy. Because the neck bothered me, I decided to do some Photoshop on the puma in the lower left, moving his head higher up and changing the image to a contrasty black and white - to give a silhouette for comparision. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". The rocky habitat that covers much of the state is perfect for these ambush predators, especially since humans dont inhabit much of the land. The reintroduction of mountain lions into South Dakota is one of the great wins of modern conservation. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The 6 best hikes in the Poconos Mountains - Lonely Planet All of the above are Mountain Lions, or Pumas, or Cougars. 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. 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. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. 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? Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. "They preyed upon the caribou, and probably the mastodon," Leslie wrote of these large animals flourishing on the grasses and cold-climate flora that sprouted following the glacier's retreat. Joseph Pugliese 2.2K views 7 years ago Beautiful Bobcat in our yard as our. The mountain lion population in Nevada is essential to the control of deer and rodent populations in the mountainous regions of the state. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania - Hoot Hollow 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. Mountain lions (cougars, pumas, and more) are among the top predators that live in the United States. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions - AZ Animals I have three observations here: 1. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. Ashley Catherine Fontones, Pocono Record. 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. It seems unlikely, considering captives have never shown this trait, but people are reporting big black cats. 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. I'll offer my own little anecdote. Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. Who knows? 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.