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They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. 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. No one needs to panic.". There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. 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. 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. Check out our online field guide to read more in this series. An animal's coat can stray far from the norm. Puma vs Mountain Lion: Is There a Difference? Fish and Wildlife Service. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. Over 1,100 people follow her page. They ponder rare fossil evidence unearthed and seek to make sense of stratified geology, both fleeting in the face of what we call progress. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. How, Who, and Why? Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. The image in the Upper Left was from a Game Camera, sent to me by a friend. 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. Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. Interestingly, the US Fish and Wildllife Service has declared the Eastern Puma extinct, except for the Florida population known as the Florida panther. 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. Would my mountain ridge be declared 'Critical Habitat' for the puma? The bones were found perfectly preserved. 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. 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. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. Recently the US Fish and Wildlife Service formally declared the Eastern Puma an extinct species, except for the remnant population in Florida. Furthermore, a different set of photos showed a "mountain lion" dragging a deer into the woods in Bradford County. Imagine my surprise. What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. The Pocono Mountains are . It had been captured in Florida, and was to be released. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. RelatedBigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know. 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. The last known mountain lion in Pennsylvania was killed in Berks County in 1874. 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. Others would like to see some scientific proof. Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. 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? One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). In Yellowstone, definite puma country (perhaps not ideal habitat, but pumas are found in every section of Yellowstone), I've spoken to guys on road crews and with rangers, each with 20 years of field or road experience in Yellowstone, and the ranger had only seen 2 (both road kills and together) and the road crew guys two or three in all their years. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos / p o k n o z /, are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania.They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. Like Arizona, New Mexico is the perfect home for mountain lions. Some may be animals that dispersed into the region from western populations. John Leap of East Stroudsburg's Lakeside Peat Humus Co. and an employee, Paul Strauser, found the bones in a peat bog off Route 209. A Mountain Lion Cover Up Two other reports went, in detail, on what they saw, the size, the length of tail, etc. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . Something to consider, even though we all trust the government. 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. Where they always here as a relic population? Once a mountain lion matures, it will leave its mother and find its own territory. The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. Hunters I've spoken with said they've been told you can't kill a puma, which they felt was ironic since the same official told them pumas don't exist in Pa. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! Phineas Teeple of Manchester Township is thought to have killed the last wolf in Wayne County. They mostly live in the far western Trans-Pecos region of the state, where they can freely roam 50,000 to 80,000 acres of land. And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. I was heading up the road and I saw an animal with a long tail.". Images from a homeowner's surveillance camera show a tan cat with a long body, beyond a chain-link fence. 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. Let me know if you have seen one! "If my son would have been on a pedal bike, without a helmet on, that thing would have nailed him," said Walters, 44. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Have all of those who have seen a puma really seen a bobcat? Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. Travis Lau, a spokesperson for the Game Commission, said the state has a "never say never" approach when it comes to mountain lions and acknowledges that Western cats could be moving east. Mountain Lion in Pocono's Pennsylvania Kacie PA 7.9K views 2 years ago Mountain lion in bucks county pa or not? Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds. What is the Kiboko backpack? Best hike for seeing waterfalls. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. Of course, the writer's comments were hearsay, but it does make sense. Good luck, and let me know! That's true. Had this been faked, I'd suspect the hoaxter would try for a more authentic background. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Can so many people be so wrong? The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. There is a big community of mountain lion enthusiasts across the Northeast convinced that the animals still exist in breeding populations. 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. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? "We should be getting more pictures. Bo Ottman is a landscaper in Connecticut who founded an . It will happen eventually. 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! There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. 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. Send it to me at mkuhns@poconorecord.com. Ironically, I almost deleted the image, as on the small camera LCD monitor the cat was small and I thought that it was just another deer that moved along the stream. The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. I usually follow-up on these reports and, via email or phone conversations, I receive more details. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. 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. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. Not only do hunting licenses support the various state game commissions, and in some states the acquisition and maintenance of public hunting lands, but hunters are a huge boon to local economies each fall, with purchases of food, lodging, hunting equipment, etc. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. 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). I have three observations here: 1. Where they always here as a relic population? Oregon has a large, stable breeding population of mountain lions. I've read a lot about this, and the usual explanation is the very human desire to see something, to see what someone wants to see, and thus these people are seeing bobcats or brown cats or dogs or foxes and, because they 'want' to see a puma, they do. Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. 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. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. Heres What the Data Says. Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. He saw his cat at very close range -- 20 yards or less, and when I pointed out to him that pumas are never black he said that perhaps it was the light. 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. ", (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. To be fair, I've also spoken with people who, at first, thought they'd seen a puma only to find, to their embarassment, that they were looking at a house cat! In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. Wishful thinking? 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. 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. 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. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. 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. 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? I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. 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. do I get an immediate, 'Oh yeah!' 2023 www.poconorecord.com. Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a. Where can I find Depth of Field reference charts? "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. Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? 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. And yet today the debate continues: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? 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. 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. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. What equipment do we take in the field? 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. Can so many people be wrong? I believe Kross fully, but I wanted to hear more. I've know of reports since 1973, in Cooke Forest, the heart of a lot of Pa. wilderness. 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). Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. 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. If pumas do exist in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, could they all be released cats or escapees? What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. Leap transferred ownership rights to the state. Recently, on a back road in Pennsylvania, a friend and I had our first sighting of a coyote in Pennsylvania. Woolly mammoth bones were discovered in Bradford County in 1983. Their are two web sites I know of that dealt with eastern pumas, with the one, the Eastern Puma Research Network, concentrating on sightings in the east. Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. On the second night, a mountain lion passed by, apparently drawn by the smell but put off by the stench, as the cat did not visit the kill. 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. Everyone else, when reporting, were frustrated as they were told they had seen a bobcat. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. Imagination? Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. I have not spoken with a Game Commission officer personally, so I don't know whether anyone killing a puma in Pennsylvania could do so without legal repercussions. Most of the native mountain lions live in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, but humans rarely ever see them due to their secretive nature. A few could, perhaps, be mistaken idenity. The next day, the photo disappeared from the site. 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. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Note the long, usually thick tail. "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. That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. Transient males have been sighted as far east as New York! Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead. That summer, a team from the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg excavated the nearly complete skeleton of the ancient elephant, the first of its kind found in the Commonwealth. For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. If you see or photograph a puma in the mid-Atlantic states, please email or call me. The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. I'll offer my own little anecdote. 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. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. All rights reserved (About Us). Who knows? State Game Officials do concede that some people may indeed have seen a puma, but it was undoubtedly a released captive. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one. "Hunters are always saying they see mountain lions, and the Game Commission always says there aren't any," said Robert Hale, owner of Buffalo Gap Outfitters in Dillsburg. In prior interviews with the Game Commission, the suggestion was made to this writer that what many people may actually be seeing is a bobcat, perhaps in less than ideal circumstances. 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. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? About half of the state of Montana is ideal for mountain lions, primarily in her western and central regions. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. Is there a Mountain Lion Conspiracy? Provided by Touchpoints Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several 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. Ramapough Lenape chief: National park in PA and NJ would be among 'most destructive things' since colonization, Bigfoot, mountain lions, and other mythical creatures: PA officials discuss what they know, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. original web site, although if I ever have enough time I might The record size for this species is 8 feet, and it probably weighed 15 to 20 pounds, which shows how exaggerated this claim is. 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. Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? The earliest wave arrived at the end of the last Ice Age; the last wave is the Lenape or Delaware Tribe, which made contact with colonial settlers in the 1600s. 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.). Although a large proportion of the Lenape Nation was dispersed far from their ancestral homelands in the 18th century, colonial settlers and their descendants struggled to live in this region with wolves and cougars inhabiting the forests. The 'look' is from my "They are very strong animals," she said. Leslie estimated that the first humans making up the Paleo-Indians lived in the upper Delaware valley as early as 11,000 B.C. 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.). He's a hunter, a woodsman, and he's seen a lot of game, so I can believe he saw a back-lighted puma. All of the above images are of bobcats. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. 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? 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. On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. After a gestation period of 90 days, female mountain lions will give birth to litters of about one to six cubs. I've seen about 20 mountain lions, or pumas, in the field, but all but 2 were in Chile. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? 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. Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled, 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. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. 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! 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. 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. 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 . Why is bat photography so difficult? At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? 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. In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no wild, breeding cougar populations in this state anymore. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. 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. I don't know if a Game Commission authority has actually said this or not, but people I've spoken to have reported this. On that note, I was speaking with a Fed Ex driver recently who told me that one of his colleagues had seen what he swore was a dead mountain lion on the side of a road. 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. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Bobcats tend to be darker brown, with lighter belly fur and spots while mountain lions tend to be more uniform brown, tawny color. 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? DCNR gave the following as examples: the saber-tooth cat; a small, three-toed horse; the Pleistocene beaver, and the mastodon. Below is a list of physical characteristics that distinguish mountain lions from more . The mountains and isolated forests of the state allow these large cats to live their lives without encountering humans very often.