Some experts predict that this wide-ranging predator, which can travel 600 miles in search of a territory, will surely reach our eastern states sometime in the next few decades. 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!' Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. This, after they were told that there were no pumas in Pa. Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? 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. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. There are also big swaths of thick of forests in parts of the state. "I know they're native to this area. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. redo these pages to match the new web site But that's not In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? 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. the more visible white on the chest, the lack of spots, the huge hind quarters. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. 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. I'd love to hear of any reports you have. The bones were found perfectly preserved. 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. 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. 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. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania. Joseph Pugliese 2.2K views 7 years ago Beautiful Bobcat in our yard as our. I'm thinking of the solution often suggested for pesky endangered species out west, namely wolves and grizzly bears. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. The photographer had no reason to stage the shot -- indeed, the composition and background was terrible, and not what you'd expect for something staged, but the shot wasn't perfectly clear. Reports generally go uninvestigated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which discounts them as mistaken identities, illegal pets escaped or released and outright fabrications. Editor's note: The Pocono Record and Tri-County Independent have collaborated for a series of stories called Mountain Beasts: Pocono cryptids, legends and lore. Packer Hill Ave. Jim Thorpe, PA 18229. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? Mountain lions have an interesting life cycle that consists of a few different characteristics. (National Park Service). The Pocono Mountains are . 1.8 miles, 2 hours, moderate. 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. In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. Of interestRamapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization. Have some feedback for us? All of the above are Mountain Lions, or Pumas, or Cougars. Ashley Catherine Fontones, Pocono Record. years are available through this link. DNA collected from the mountain lion killed on a roadway in Connecticut in 2011 showed the animal to have originated in South Dakota. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. As a state known for its mountains, its no wonder that mountain lions live here! The Asa Packer Mansion, built in the year 1861, is a historic house museum. Best hike for seeing waterfalls. The large, undeveloped interior filled with rocky habitats perfect for mountain lions allows them to safely live and breed. 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! Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. You would think someone would have a picture on a trail camera or whatever. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. The mountain lion population in Nevada is essential to the control of deer and rodent populations in the mountainous regions of the state. The coat can be spotted or solid and varies in color from light browns, reddish and silvery grey. "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. He knows and was familiar with bobcats, and it was not a weird house cat that he and his friends misjudged in size. The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. 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. It was definitely a mountain lion, and it had a big buck, white-tailed deer in its jaws. Who knows? Conversely, an outdoor writer I know told me that when Pa. enacted a menagerie permit law years ago, 'a lot of mountain lions suddenly died,' as the owners of these cats, rather than going through the paperwork, simply released their pumas and claimed that they had died. Among other uses, the tax was levied "for destroying wolves, foxes, heads and crows." 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. On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. 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. A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. There are, from time to time, eyewitness accounts from hunters or hikers who claim to have seen the cat. They are there to help us. The state of Arizona is home to a large, stable population of mountain lions. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. 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. 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. The large tracts of untouched rocky land and bighorn sheep populations make for pristine mountain lion habitat. 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. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. It had been captured in Florida, and was to be released. The coat can be spotted or solid. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . 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. I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Despite reported sightings throughout the East, including Pennsylvania, and a confirmed mountain lion killed in Connecticut in 2011, there has been no evidence that any of those cats were native . The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. I'll be anxious to learn of your report. It has long been popular with honeymooners, but today the Poconos are a popular destination for families, skiers, adventure seekers, NASCAR fans, and those from urban areas around New England, New York City, Philadelphia . If pumas do exist in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, could they all be released cats or escapees? I'll offer my own little anecdote. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. On that, I've had emails sent with game trail photo attachments, or killed pumas, supposedly shot in Pennsylvania, but these were hoaxes. However, if it doesn't exist, and if someone saw one, wouldn't there be a worry that it was a dangerous escapee? Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "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. It also mentioned that someone raising a mountain lion without a license may either have let it go when it became too large to handle, or that the animal had escaped. When he isn't distracted by his backyard birdfeeder, you can find him camping, exploring, and telling everyone around him about what he's recently learned. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. Goggling Eastern Puma brings up other web sites, however, with varying levels of professionalism or credibility. PHILADELPHIA (AP) An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. 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. 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.). So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". ", (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence, including in a reported Berks County sighting on January 8. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. Thank you for reading! Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. (PennLive has investigated many reports of mountain lions, and other mystery creatures, and has found no confirming evidence. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. Here it is: I still couldn't get the big head/little neck, and the body is a bit stouter/shorter, but a striding cat might be stretched out a bit. The agency has declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies ofmountain lions native to North America. I was heading up the road and I saw an animal with a long tail.".

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