Recently he was given a plaster cast of what was suspected to be a cougar track from Wayne County, made after a "large cat-like creature" was seen locally. I live in Cumberland County about a half a mile from the 944/Enola exit. "Now nobody is saying there is a wild emu population in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, is it unlikely that cougars will return to Pennsylvania in the near future. 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 know I love hunting when I was younger in Pennsylvania but trying to kill the very last animal shows a sign of being inbred. Although they're occasionally reportedby hikers in remote locations, the U.S. "It's so hard to pin anything down," said John Lutz, the West Virginia man who heads the network, a non-scientific affiliation of mountain lion seekers across the eastern United States. Then another friend told me his daughter who lives in Clymer PA saw a Game Commission truck go into the woods with a large cage in the back with a mountain lion in the cage. This photo of a cougar was taken in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photos obtained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources). Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; Was running and had very long stride, at least 6 foot. They wanted to hear from anyone who saw a mountain lion or signs of one, like tracks or scats. // February 12, 2021 Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. For more information on mountain lions, visit the . Cougars distaste for humans runs so deep that a study found that simply playing talk radio was enough to get these cougars to permanently abandon what they were eating. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. In one extreme dispersal event in 2011, a cougar (that was later found to be related to cats from the Black Hills) made it to Connecticut before it was killed by a car. Based on its extensive research, the Service concluded this subspecies of big cats had disappeared from the east by the 1930s. The last promising scat turned out to be from a large coyote that had eaten a lot of meat. But after consultations with biologists inside and outside the university, he determined it was an unusual bear track showing just four toes and no claws. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. From 2015 through 2017, at least 100 pumas were spotted in the county, according to Tribune data gathered in 2018. They helped to keep prey populations in balance, which created a more diverse and better functioning ecosystem that could respond to disturbances. A report in 1981 found that it would be impossible to restore cougars to Adirondack Park in New York because there were too many humans. Ok, so they may have been extinct for some time, but if people are sighting them, has anyone considered migration? The reports, though, continue. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". DNA tests have offered conclusive proof of cougars in other eastern states. Skip to the beginning of the images gallery, FISH: Pennsylvania Frog and Toad Breeding Phenology, Questions and Answers about Centipedes, Ladybirds and Butterflies, The Effect of Coyotes on Pennsylvanias Deer Herd, Protected Species in Pennsylvania: The Bog Turtle, Protected Species in Pennsylvania: Northern Flying Squirrel. Mountain lions, also commonly known as cougars, are officially extinct in both Pennsylvania and the United States east of the Mississippi. Ohio. Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a . They can be easily differentiated by the size of their size (large house cats only weigh 30lb and raccoons 20lbs) and their tails (cougar tails are much longer and wiry). My horse was spooked twice & I heard a guttural growling but never seen any animal. My speed was 40mph, I got a good look at it. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. The mountain lion was killed east of Altoona and south of State College , Pa. northeast of Raystown Lake between Mt. Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. The PGC's historical approach to mountain lion sightings is relevant to understanding their approach to the Jacobs photos. 4 . However, the last genuine sighting of a free-roaming mountain lion in the state was in 1967, and even that was suspected to have been someone's escaped or released pet. Males territories are generally twice the size of a females territory (50-350 square miles), and they overlap the territory of several females. Murray also has a cross-eyed white tiger named Keisha, who crushed chicken bones with ease but delicately stepped into a metal pool to cool off. Although common at the time of European settlement, the last known historical specimen in Missouri was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927. Murray said Rocky was emaciated and chained when she found him at a private zoo. She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. 1. They said it took up most of the dirt road. Figure 3. Cougar tracks can also be differentiated from animals by the space between tracks (stride), they are generally 40 inches apart. The only native North American mountain lion species (Puma concolor) has long since been extirpated from the eastern United States, with the exception of a small population of Florida panthers whose genetic roots are a subject of debate. There has never been any conclusive evidence.". That doesnt stop some from believing mountain lions do exist in the East. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". The diseaseproduces fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes within three to 30 days. Bears tend to be shy and want to avoid contact with people, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. This number of car strikes is in spite of having low population densities and the significant efforts to reduce car strikes, such as reduced speed limits, warning signs, and obstacles (fences and road underpasses) built along or under roads that cut through panther habitat. (Image via the National Park Service)(), By Jason Nark | The Philadelphia Inquirer. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." So, if a. Share Tweet Share Share. Eastern coyotes are prevalent in Pennsylvania. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. To download a high-resolution image, go to http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/august01/lion.tif. They're common in the rural areas of the Lehigh Valley but are moving into more populated areas as evidenced by a600-pound specimen (pictured) that was tranquilized in March after neighbors in Forks Township and Easton's College Hill section called authorities. Coyoteseat wildlife including mice, voles, deer, rabbits and woodchucks. Despite annual reports since the 1950s, no confirmed sighting was made in the state until the 1990s. San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. But Dave "Gadget" Jones, a retired wildlife conservation officer from Lackawanna County, claims he's seen a white bigfoot and a UFO in Pennsylvania, so who knows? Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern cougar extinct. Provided by Touchpoints Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 2021. 2017. The distance traveled varies based on habitat, time of year, and study methods. TPWD Confirmed Mountain Lions. UPDATE: An alert reader took this photo late September, 2008, from his trail camera near Plummer, PA. UPDATE: An alert reader sent this photo of a mountain lion taken about three weeks ago (September 2009) near Farmington, Pa, in Fayette County. It's only found in thewestern part of the state. That the ultimate proof would come from Penn State seemed ironic -- the university's well-known mascot is a "Nittany" lion, and a mounted cougar killed in Susquehanna County in 1856 stands guard in the campus library. MDC established a Mountain Lion Response Team in 1996 to investigate reports and evidence of mountain lions. Some of the regional tribes include the Tonkawa, Kiowa and Apache. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. When they are in these new areas, the young males are almost constantly moving looking for an area with females. Bears have been fought off with rocks, sticks, binoculars or even bare hands, the game commission says. I was driving to work just before sun rise, Late September 2019. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? Pennlive.com reports trappers kill more than 40,000 of them in Pennsylvania every year. Langell said two reports were . They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. "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. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. "Who knows, could be a mutant. Traveling Route 248 in Northampton County just 1 mile east of Pennsville. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, feline predators such as the eastern cougar, which is also known as the mountain lion, are "extirpated," meaning they're all but wiped out in the northeastern United States. Michael Tanenbaum It was not a fleeting glance, I had to stop my car to let it slowly cross the road in front of me. Of course, bees are crucial to our existence. Home Pennsylvania Opinion Search for cougarscontinues in Pennsylvania, If youre a regular reader of this publication, or one of my neighbors, then you already know my father and, A fish may see a parade of presentations go by, therefore yours should be better than the rest. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. The mountain lionalso known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamountis a large cat species native to the Americas. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. If you need to confirm this info, just take a look at National Geographics wild life section on animals thought to be extinct altogether, or extinct from an area. Some restrictions apply. But a mix of bounty hunting and heavy foresting killed or pushed out the population. 0:57 A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. "We do not believe that there are any wild, native, breeding cougar populations in Pennsylvania. Where a house cat would be along as a car tire and half the height of a tire. 2016. The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in a Randallstown field Tuesday has revived claims that cougars aren't extinct in Maryland. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Haven't seen anything like this before, so it's new.". In the winter, cougar tracks maybe up to six inches long. Your email address will not be published. Some have even reported seeing a "black panther," a near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. Paws 'N' Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. This article addresses the history of cougars in Pennsylvania, their extirpation, and that they are now extinct. These tiny critters may not look that threatening but they are carriers of Lyme disease, which can result in long-term health complications and even death. "We should be getting more pictures. They said it was the size of their German Shepard and theres nothing else it couldve possibly been. Bear attacks are thankfully rare. Are dangerous creatures lurking outside your tent flap or in the woods beyond your backyard if you live in Pennsylvania? They came out and investigated. Mike Jacobsen found a dead mountain lion in his Denton-area field on Dec. 19. Dan Taylor, a San Diego-based wildlife biologist who grew up in the Philadelphia area, told PhillyVoice he was initially thrown for a loop by the photo. EDITORS: Gary San Julian can be reached at 814-863-0401. Cougars (Puma concolor) are a large cat that goes by many names: panther, catamount, puma, and mountain lion, just to name a few of their over forty common English names. After the male mountain lion was removed from Red Hill Trail on May 11, additional sightings in that area were reported: one on May 16, and two over the weekend of May 19 and 20. One was spotted late Tuesday in Hamilton near a bus stop. A coyote or bobcat is a little shorter than a tire and roughly one and half the length of tire. Biologists traced it back to the Black Hills of South Dakota, from where it ventured nearly 2,000 miles looking for a new mate. So glad to post. 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. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. I saw a Mountain Lion chasing a fox in Perryopolis Pa. I received a report from a woman who drove last Sunday (August 28) from her home in the Philadelphia area to her vacation home in Avalon. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. They have adapted to live in the suburbs in woods, fields or evenbackyards without being seen by people. Cougars were seen as threats to humans, livestock, and game species, resulting in unlimited harvest and bounties in some states. Over 1,100 people follow her page. 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