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. 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. Among those who have investigated the primeval times of the Pocono Plateau and Delaware River valleys and tributaries was the late Vernon Leslie, Ph.D., a Wayne County historian and archaeologist. The mountain lion is a large, slender cat, with a long rope-like tail. 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.". Although unconfirmed, mountain lions continue to be reported in many spots across Pennsylvania, including several reports in the past couple months. Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. I've looked in the PGC game laws booklet and saw nothing on this, which I guess you could conclude means a puma would not be legal to shoot. Hunting is legal in the state, but it is heavily controlled and restricted. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. The next day, the photo disappeared from the site. 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? And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. 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 that cat killed on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2011. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead? Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. 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). You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. (570) 325-3229. Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. Mountain lions, which continue to be reported across Pennsylvania throughout the year, are officially extinct east of the Mississippi River and north of Florida, according to the U.S. The sightings were great bear views, but too fast or fleeting to allow me to grab a camera. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? All rights reserved (About Us). There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. Periodically, via Google searches, I receive reports from people who believe they had seen a mountain lion in Pennsylvania, or in other mid-Atlantic states. do I get an immediate, 'Oh yeah!' 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. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. The last known mountain lion in Pennsylvania was killed in Berks County in 1874. A typical home range is around 150 square miles for adult males and 50 square miles for adult females in our region. 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. 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. All rights reserved. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? They often would catch sheep in broad daylight. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania Let me know if you have seen one! with a fluted projectile point were found near Middletown, Orange County, New York. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. "We should be getting more pictures. Mountain lions are well-established in 14 western states and have also recently been confirmed in 10 Midwestern states: Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Illinois can also now be added to this list a mountain lion was found on the outskirts of Chicago. Same story as 'black panthers' across the country, because of course there, scientifically, can be no such thing. 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? Colorado is the perfect habitat for mountain lions. 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. 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. "From people that I trust have had visual sightings, they've seen mountain lions.". Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. 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. ? 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. Most nature magazines state whether the photos were taken "under controlled conditions" rather than in the wild.). Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? This is actually a good thing, as genetic isolation generally weakens a species. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. 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. Newspapers carried stories in 1956 about hunters supposedly seeing and killing wolves in Pike and Monroe Counties. Depends on who you talk to, I guess. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. This happens usually around the 18-month mark. 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. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. I am bothered by the constricted neck of the cat on the game camera; 2. the tail is curved down, rather than up, but it may have been in mid-swing; 3. the goldenrod-appearing flower, and the background of cars, gives a sense of scale and location. Here's an example: A man is holding a dead eastern diamondback rattlesnake, which was found in North Carolina and measured more than 9 feet long and weighed 95 pounds. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. They are there to help us. Compare any game camera image with the shots above, or this game camera image, to confirm your identification. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? 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. I could fill pages recounting the eye-witness reports I've heard, and for every report critics could certainly say 'but there's no physical evidence!' 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. Fish and Wildlife Service. Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several It was definitely a mountain lion, and it had a big buck, white-tailed deer in its jaws. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." All of the above are Mountain Lions, or Pumas, or Cougars. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? I believe them. Archived Questions of the Month A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. 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. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? a high priority. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. 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. At one point, there was debate whether that cat should be protected, since its genes were diluted from escapees or released pumas that originated in South America or our West. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. The bones were found perfectly preserved. During this time, male mountain lions will travel in search of females. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. Over the last few years I've done several Questions of the Month regarding Mountain Lions, or Pumas as they should properly be called, in the Mid-Atlantic States and in Pennsylvania. In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. Florida is the only state on the east coast with a breeding population of mountain lions. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. Provided by Touchpoints It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. 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.).