Like Arizona, New Mexico is the perfect home for mountain lions. 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. Newspapers carried stories in 1956 about hunters supposedly seeing and killing wolves in Pike and Monroe Counties. Contrary to popular belief, there are no black panthers in North America; no one has ever captured or killed a black Mountain Lion. The Cougar Network, working with state agencies, have documented multiple mountain lions as far east as Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan in recent years, as well as one cat killed on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2011. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. Some outdoor enthusiasts insist they have seen the big cats here and believe them to be naturally occurring, native animals. All rights reserved. I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. The mountains and isolated forests of the state allow these large cats to live their lives without encountering humans very often. Confirmed cougar sightings have increased in the Midwest and Great Lakes states in recent years.". Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? Mysterious big cat caught on security camera in Clarks Summit, Pa. In this at this distant epoch, archaeologists attempt to clear some of the mists and mysteries of prehistoric times. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Note the size of the tail, the pointed ears, the speckled coat, the basic lack of white underneath. 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. But more importantly, he also said that regardless of color, he saw a big cat, with a tail that looked to be about 4 feet long! 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. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? Woolly mammoth bones were discovered in Bradford County in 1983. 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. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. 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. 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. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. 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. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. Is it the New Best Pack? Where reports dating that far back from escapees? I've seen scores of leopards in the grasslands and deserts of East Africa and I've never seen, nor spoke with anyone, who has seen a black leopard there. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. Pocono Record's Micaela Hood moves on to Lehigh Valley Public Media 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. ? Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. When he told me this, he commented on how an experience like the one he and his friends had just is not forgotten. "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. 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. years are available through this link. Continuing with that thought, if that were so, then it'd be possible, if not very likely, that the Eastern puma would be an Endangered Species. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. The coat can be spotted or solid. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. 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.). That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. 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. Melanism is the reverse, where there is an abundance of dark or black pigmentation. "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. 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. Over the last few months several people have responded to this question with reports of their own. All of the above images are of bobcats. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. 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. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. "We should be getting more pictures. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? 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. What would account for the long tails? I want to believe they're here, but I'm having some trouble. "If there was mountain lions in Pennsylvania), I think we'd be getting reports from farmers and people with pets that there were attacks on their animals," Martinelli said. It was definitely a mountain lion, and it had a big buck, white-tailed deer in its jaws. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. Why is bat photography so difficult? If mountain lions are discovered in PA anytime soon they'll either be big foot's pets or genetically engineered and released by the DCNR to cull the orangu-bear population. The 6 best hikes in the Poconos Mountains - Lonely Planet 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. Two different people told me that they, or a close relative, had seen pumas on more than one occasion. The rocky habitat that covers much of the state is perfect for these ambush predators, especially since humans dont inhabit much of the land. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. 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. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? 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. Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . 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. Same story as 'black panthers' across the country, because of course there, scientifically, can be no such thing. State Game Officials do concede that some people may indeed have seen a puma, but it was undoubtedly a released captive. Viewers can never be certain that what they're seeing on a computer is actually what it's purported to be. And yet today the debate continues: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? I believe them. The mountain lion population in Nevada is essential to the control of deer and rodent populations in the mountainous regions of the state. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. Big cats in Pennsylvania: mountain lions or bobcats? - Pocono Record 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! 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.". Would a puma then qualify as a native species? If there were wild cougars in our midst, the Game Commission also pointed out, eventually there would be solid evidence such as a carcass, scat and paw prints that could be verified. Discover the Little-Known U.S. River Gorge That's, The 9 Best Books About National Parks for Travelers, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. Florida is the only state on the east coast with a breeding population of mountain lions. About six months ago I posted the question, Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? It is an Italianate Villa home that features authentic Victorian furniture and finishing. Looking for things to do in the Poconos? But even without that second look there was no question that we'd seen a coyote. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. 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. Can so many people be wrong? Is there a Puma conspiracy? Although in captivity, they can live much longer. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. 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. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Of interestRamapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization. (What is meant by "heads" is not clear.). Depends on who you talk to, I guess. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. Mountain lions (cougars, pumas, and more) are among the top predators that live in the United States. Mountain Lions - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. (National Park Service). "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. ? Many have a desire to see some clear-cut evidence. Never has this been more accurate than in today's digital, computerized world. If youve done any research on your own, you may have noticed that we didnt include a lot of states that have had cougar sightings, especially in the last few years. Fish and Wildlife Service. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. Mountain lions live in rescue centers like Murray's, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission said a dozen or so people are permitted to possess them. Hoax photo doesn't help believability of mountain lions in Poconos No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. 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). Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. Most nature magazines state whether the photos were taken "under controlled conditions" rather than in the wild.). Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. 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. Colorado has a large number of mountain lions within its borders, mostly due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a. Who knows? Both were a threat to the farmer and family who carved a home in the ancient wilderness of the Poconos. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens of sincere reports of sightings and tracks and even more hoaxed reports emerge across the state each year. Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. But this one was black, and he knows mountain lions are some variant of brown. Many of the reports I receive are extremely credible. 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. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. 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.". Good luck, and let me know! 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! 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). 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. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. 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. Recently the US Fish and Wildlife Service formally declared the Eastern Puma an extinct species, except for the remnant population in Florida. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. 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. 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. Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. 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. In all those hours I never saw a coyote, bear, or bobcat, and yet all live in my area. 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. Officially extinct, mountain lions still haunt the Adirondacks Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! These cubs are born blind and helpless. If we say it ain't so, it ain't so! Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. 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? It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. I'm a photographer, yet I've never had a chance to snap a photograph of one of these bears. Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. 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. September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. 10 Stunning Mountains In Pennsylvania - AZ Animals 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?' And yes, there are people in Pennsylvania who say they exist here. The sightings were great bear views, but too fast or fleeting to allow me to grab a camera. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. 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. As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! DNR: Fish & Wildlife: Mountain Lion There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Asa Packer Mansion Jim Thorpe. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. 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 large tracts of untouched rocky land and bighorn sheep populations make for pristine mountain lion habitat. Let me know if you have seen one! He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. The 'look' is from my This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. Can so many people be so wrong? 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. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. What is the Kiboko backpack? 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. A tiny population of Florida cougars persists in the southeastern corner of the United States. The other two clans were the Turtle and Turkey. 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. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. 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. Local outlets carried reports of cougar encounters at least into the 1910s. I was heading up the road and I saw an animal with a long tail.". Find cabins in the Poconos, PA near places like Bushkill Falls, Camelback Mountain Resort, and more.