What is the fascination in Pennsylvania that they always want to kill a mountain line if they find one theyre indigenous they belong there just leave the damn things alone. Eventually they will reach areas where they never lived, or once lived,and will repopulate that area. 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. House cats and raccoons can also be confused for cougars. In January, the U.S. Furthermore, a juvenile female has not been recorded in the Midwest, much less in Pennsylvania, without a change in this trend no breeding populations can be established. Confirmed Mountain Lion Reports Watch our Mountain Lions in Missouri video to learn why mountain lions are roaming into our state, how we confirm reported sightings, and what to do in the very unlikely event you encounter a mountain lion. On another occasion my sons best friend saw a fawn colored mt. Eastern mountain lions lived in central Pennsylvania until the late 1800s, according to Foster. Mountain Lion Sighting. 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. Mountain lions are large, tan cats. A mountain lion named Rocky, at the East Coast Animal Rescue, Tuesday, September 4, 2018. They were once a common predator in Pennsylvania until a combination of range-wide habitat loss, prey loss (mainly white-tailed deer and elk), and predator eradication programs in the 1800s drove them to extinction in the Commonwealth and across the East Coast later that century. Bobcats tend to be darker brown, with lighter belly fur and spots while mountain lions tend to be more uniform brown, tawny color. After carefully considering the shape of the paw, Penn State experts concluded that the print was not made by a cougar. Union and Huntingdon , Pa. .. One doesn't think about big cats being in this eastern part of the . Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all different names for the same animal ( Puma concolor ). Mike Jacobsen was checking his fences near Denton after last month's windstorm when his kids pulled . Almost all the reported sights have been other animals like bobcats (Lynx rufus), coyotes (Canis latrans), raccoons (Procyon lotor), or large domestic cats (Felis catus). There are more than 4,000 of them in Pennsylvania. This was yesterday around 5pm 11/6/19. They often carry their tails erect, which is rare for cougars and when done clearly has a bow to it; and house cats can have long coats, which is a sharp contrast from the short coat of a cougar. bioRxiv. That's not to say that there is not a mountain lion in the wild," he explains. If you see a mountain lion. Pennsylvania is too inhabited to support a population of cougars, unless there are major changes in cougar biology, cougar behavior, and public opinion. They haven't been . My cousin and his girlfriend swear they saw a mountain lion Davis hill Rd off of county route 249 in tioga county. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. Tan shading indicates regions where dispersing juveniles have been sighted, but there are no established populations in these areas. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. Over 1,100 people follow her page. If you have seen a mountain lion (also commonly called cougar, panther, or puma) in Pennsylvania or surrounding states (New York, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio), please give Kerry Gyekis a detailed description of the animal such as length of body, length of tail, approximate weight, size, thickness, coloring, etc. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. In August, Amy Walters said her 12-year-old son was spooked by a mountain lion in Forest County in northwest Pennsylvania while riding his dirt bike. "While it seems unlikely, it's not impossible that these animals are showing up in PA," said David Foster, a biology professor at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg. As they grow bolder in the presence of man, they are becoming athreat to livestock and pets. Michael Tanenbaum So, if a. They love lurking on theedge of wooded areas near agricultural areas where prey is abundant. Was about 30 feet down the road when it crossed in front of me. Smith, J.A., Suraci, J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y. PA game commission are nothing but liers they lie to the people all the time we need to do away with them turn it over to the government I do not trust our government but the game commission lies more, what appears to be very large lion tracks the PGC says photos were of a large dog I disagree I have a deer feeder and I think that is why they are all around my house, it seems every time my cousin mason and his buddies go camping they encounter oro see a mountian lion he says he swares the the cougar stalks them when they start walking through the woodsthey live in the northern part of pa in an little mountian town of treemont in schuylkill county we know there is mountian lions up there. A bobcat or coyote would fit within two or three red pines. The Game Commission is hiding this information from the public either that or they dont know what a mountain lion looks like. The green shading represents areas with established breeding populations. What does the perfect setup look like for spring steelhead? However, mountain lion sightings in Pennsylvania are still being reported. Mountain Lion. Theyre not predators, but if one runs out in front of your moving car it can certainly pose a threat to your safety. "Over the years, I've received a number of cougar reports, some pretty factual, such as a partly devoured calf left up in a tree, but nobody has ever provided clear proof. Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther (45-170 miles). Coyoteseat wildlife including mice, voles, deer, rabbits and woodchucks. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. The cougar is much larger and needs at least four trees to be covered. Then it disappeared for some time, until scat was found again in New York, and it was finally killed in Connecticut. Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents have periodically reported big cat sightings to local police, prompting minor scares that can last a few days. 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. Residents should report any possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement or to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The nearest breed population of cougars is in Nebraskas Niobrara River Valleynearly 1,000 miles from Pennsylvanias eastern border (Figure 1). These young males are looking to establish a new territory and they do not stay in areas without females. Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. 2021. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. While there have been many reports of wild cougars returning to Pennsylvania, none of these have been proven to be wild cougars. If a mountain lion walks around an area enough, many different humans will notice. Over 1,100 people follow her page. Idaho Fish and Game officers and personnel responded to . 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. Don't treat the bite with ice, cold packs or sprays. All three are pit vipers, which means you can identify them by "facial pits." Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. 3 Last 10 Years. 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. Copyright 2023Outdoor News. The dispatch center received calls about the mountain lion at approximately 4:30 a.m. near the Copeland Creek Trail between Country Club and Snyder Lane located in the area of Sunrise Park. Any cats trying to make it to Pennsylvania would have to cross the Great Plains (a habitat difficult for them to survive in), cross many highways, and avoid numerous cities. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Of course, the New Jersey Wildlife people will flat out tell you there are no mountain lions anywhere in New Jersey. But the reported road-kill apparently never happened. The distance traveled varies based on habitat, time of year, and study methods. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; In the snow, the tracks of all mammals appear to be larger this is because the heat from individual animals feet melts the snow they step on. These indentations on their cheeks help them sense heat and find prey. The Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reports on a mountain lion sighting in April 2022. US Fish and Wildlife Service. If you're bitten by a venomous snake, dial 911 immediately and seek medical attention. 2017. Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? " No humans were injured, but the mountain lion was apparently injured and stunned. As an apex predator, their extirpationlocalized extinctionhas caused incalculable harm to the ecosystems of Pennsylvania. The last mountain lion sighting in the St. Louis region occurred in 2017, when a motorist struck a lion on Interstate 70 in Warren County, Zarlenga said. Repellant can protect exposed skin from ticks. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. MDC established a Mountain Lion Response Team in 1996 to investigate reports and evidence of mountain lions. You can also identify the venomous snakes of Pennsylvania by their vertical pupils, similar to the pupils in cats' eyes. They were extirpated from Indiana by the late 1800s. Skip to content. My horse was spooked twice & I heard a guttural growling but never seen any animal. 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. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. She tried to tell me it was a Maine Coon Cat. The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in a Randallstown field Tuesday has revived claims that cougars aren't extinct in Maryland. Always interesting to see the pompous asses state unequivocally that hundreds of their citizens are blind, on drugs, or lying because they have not seen one! The Royal Society 284(1857). 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. Northeast . Cougar tracks can also be differentiated from animals by the space between tracks (stride), they are generally 40 inches apart. Orange and tan house cats are also confused for cougars. Iowa DNR prepares for egg-collection netting season, Randy Claramunt vows to turn challenges into opportunities as Michigans new fisheries chief, WI Daily Update: The scoop on ice shanties, MN Daily Update: Permanent ice house dates, All-time great pro bass angler Kevin VanDam to retire following 23 season. "Also, pretty sure there is color variation in a bobcats fur color, so what Im thinking is a good-sized, tawny colored bobcat.". Mountain lions are commonly identified by trail camera photographs, tracks, and feces. 1 Last 365 Days. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. House cats tails and fur are also another excellent way to tell them from cougars. 'Nothing to see here folks, move along'", Peregrine falcon expert checks on adorable chicks hatched in Philly City Hall nest, Jersey Shore fisherman gets rare sting from cownose ray, Central Pa. man fights, kills rabid beaver while kayaking with his daughter, Man corrals humongous fish from Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, reported big cat sightings to local police, Figure skating program in Kensington aims to make the sport accessible for local athletes, Philadelphia Zoo's new exhibit includes life-sized dinosaurs and lots of bugs, Ex-football player from Bucks County among new 'Survivor' competitors, Eagles will host Browns for joint practices in preseason, Six Flags to enhance Hurricane Harbor with more water slides, tree house for young kids, Watch every 'Rocky' movie in order and for free on Pluto TV. They usually go after rabbits and small game but can kill animals as large as deer, according to pennlive.com. If cougars are out there, why hasn't one ever been killed on a highway or shot? The timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead are close to threatened, according to pennlive.com. An attack on a 4-year-old near San Diego is just the latest in a string of mountain lion attacks in California. "It's probably a bobcat, but looks like a mountain lion," Nick Dodge told the station. An adult male mountain lion in California. The cougar was photographed as it made its way from Minnesota to Wisconsin. A coyote or bobcat is a little shorter than a tire and roughly one and half the length of tire. PhillyVoice Staff, The coloration and the shape of the head lean toward mountain lion. Dispersal can be mean treks as long as 1,000 miles in search of territory. 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. The Everglades1,150 miles south of Pennsylvaniais the only known home to a breeding population of cougars in the East (Figure 1). "We should be getting more pictures. Brocke R. 1981. Some of the regional tribes include the Tonkawa, Kiowa and Apache. A few captive cougars have escaped over the years, but these cats have been quickly recaptured. I saw a Mountain Lion chasing a fox in Perryopolis Pa. There has never been any conclusive evidence.". Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, once were native to the eastern U.S. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? So glad to post. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. It occurred after 8 p.m. Monday night, January 23, 2023, at Highway T and Old Highway 100 just north of Villa Ridge in Franklin County. A reproducing population of endangered cougars lives in the Everglades, known as the "Florida panthers," and the big cats are so numerous in a number of western states that hunting seasons are allowed. Mountain lions inhabited the state of Texas before European settlers arrived and the Native Americans in the area hunted them for clothing, shelter and blankets. "We have lots of remote areas where people seldom go," he says, "and our high deer population would offer them bountiful food. Their conclusion: Sir, you dont have a mountain lion. A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. They can grow as large as 200 pounds and have long tails. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. "We've been here 45 years and I've probably been told by people at least 100 times that they've seen a cougar or mountain lion," said owner Vince Hall. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, bobcats are considered a species of least concern because of their wide distribution, abundance, and stable . The only cats still hunting in Pennsylvania are bobcats, according to the state game commission. 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'S 90-something degrees, but he thinks they 're prowling around and.! A coyote or bobcat is a little shorter than a tire and one...
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