More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. These creatures lurking in Pa.'s woods can hurt or kill you Any Truth He also published a follow-up on Oct. 15 with the same mountain lion-deer hoax photo, as well as personal stories from several local residents who claim they've seen mountain lions in the Poconos. 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. The large, undeveloped interior filled with rocky habitats perfect for mountain lions allows them to safely live and breed. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. 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 . There isnt an official estimate on mountain lions in the state. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. They know what they saw, regardless of what the facts say, and they know they saw a puma. Most of the people I've spoken with live in this belt, but biologists friends I've spoken with have told me of their own reports, first-hand, from hunters in the Poconos who saw pumas, too. I'd suspect it would still be considered very rare, after all, it was thought to be extinct. The story behind our new web site. Below is a list of physical characteristics that distinguish mountain lions from more . And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . Where they always here as a relic population? With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. Mountain Lion Habitat in Tennessee - ArcGIS StoryMaps In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. Pocono Mountains - Wikipedia Mountain lion killed in Connecticut was on the opposite side of Pennsylvania a year ago, Is it real? Most, quite honestly, don't know or can't believe or accept what they saw, they really can't believe their eyes. The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. They ponder rare fossil evidence unearthed and seek to make sense of stratified geology, both fleeting in the face of what we call progress. And, some may be escaped or illegally released pets. In 2016, a trail cam photo in South Jersey was later determined to show a house cat. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? the more visible white on the chest, the lack of spots, the huge hind quarters. 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. 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. Have some feedback for us? Continuing with that thought, if that were so, then it'd be possible, if not very likely, that the Eastern puma would be an Endangered Species. By the time he returned the vehicle was gone, and so was the cat, and no mention was ever made of this road kill in a radio or newspaper report. The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. Those special two were across a river just outside Glacier National Park in Montana, and consisted of a mother and two cubs (Mary saw both cubs, I only saw one, and we did so separately, as we were driving two vehicles). The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. 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. 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. More common critters co-existed with early Native Americans in the Poconos, including two species long since removed: the wolf and mountain lion (also known colloquially as panthers and cougars). 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. Wishful thinking? Perhaps my Fed Ex driver was simply recalling a rural legend, but he said it was an employee that he knew, and it was a story he heard first-hand. Bobcats tend to be darker brown, with lighter belly fur and spots while mountain lions tend to be more uniform brown, tawny color. 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. Again, I've been told that some Game Commission personnel have admitted that pumas may exist in Pennsylvania, but they rationalize this by saying that the pumas are not breeding and they are not from original wild stock. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. Two other reports went, in detail, on what they saw, the size, the length of tail, etc. Only once has anyone later determined that they had misidentified the cat, seeing a bobcat and not a mountain lion. Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? 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. 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! 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. 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. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. Foster, the Messiah College professor, said he has investigated about 15 reported mountain lion sightings since late May, and believed "three or four are pretty likely a mountain lion." The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! 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. On the other hand, there are probably thousands of game cameras covering water holes and game trails throughout Pennsylvania, and to my knowledge no one has yet recorded a puma. 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. There are controlled hunting laws in the state of Oregon. Best hike for seeing waterfalls. Had this been faked, I'd suspect the hoaxter would try for a more authentic background. 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. "I thought I had a sighting in the late '90s," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation park ranger Chris Kross said. The coat can be spotted or solid and varies in color from light browns, reddish and silvery grey. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Every year we receive a few similar reports from hikers, hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts. 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. I'll be anxious to learn of your report. 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. Phineas Teeple of Manchester Township is thought to have killed the last wolf in Wayne County. Interestingly, almost all of the people I've spoken to who claim to have seen a puma have not seen a bobcat, an animal that is common enough in Pennsylvania to support a legal trapping season! Over 1,100 people follow her page. Pocono Mountains: Best Things To See And Do - TravelAwaits In Tennessee, the most likely places you would find them would be in the forest. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. This animal was undoubtedly a bobcat. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. The 6 best hikes in the Poconos Mountains - Lonely Planet Albinos are often very light sensitive, and they certainly are conspicuous, and most do not live very long. Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. 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. Perhaps one or more of these Pocono sightings represent early pioneers reclaiming their former territories. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. 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. But no one that I've communicated with had these preconceptions, and seeing what they saw was a complete surprise. It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). For many who have believed to have seen a cougar in the wilds of the Poconos, these arguments might be less than convincing. Pocono beasts: Mastodons, wolves, cougars once abundant in region So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. There's a saying that "things aren't always what they appear to be." I haven't seen any reports like that.". Biologists traced it. Mountain lions, Goodrich wrote, were more dreaded than wolves as the cat could climb over any fence that could be built. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. We hope you enjoy this foray into the most weird and wonderful our beloved Pocono Mountains have to offer. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. He said he'd never forget the sighting, but it was only when he saw another, a few months ago, in daylight, from his cabin, that he decided it was time to tell someone. Local outlets carried reports of cougar encounters at least into the 1910s. What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. A few could, perhaps, be mistaken idenity. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. 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. Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! 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. It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. 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. 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. Here's more about mountain lions in Pennsylvania: If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. 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. There are, from time to time, eyewitness accounts from hunters or hikers who claim to have seen the cat. 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. 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. 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? Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. The large tracts of untouched rocky land and bighorn sheep populations make for pristine mountain lion habitat. 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? This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. 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. 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!' Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) - Texas No one needs to panic.". PHILADELPHIA (AP) An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. 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. 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. So how or why could there be a conspiracy? If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? Furthermore, a different set of photos showed a "mountain lion" dragging a deer into the woods in Bradford County. Interestingly, the US Fish and Wildllife Service has declared the Eastern Puma extinct, except for the Florida population known as the Florida panther. Although in captivity, they can live much longer. Nevertheless, I put up a MOULTRIE game camera -- a brand that I've had tremendous satisfaction with -- at the carcass, hoping that scavengers would visit. Thank you for reading! What is the Kiboko backpack? ", (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. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. 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! This, after they were told that there were no pumas in Pa. 2023 www.poconorecord.com. They are there to help us. The cat was far enough away that I couldn't get a size reference, and I believed the cat was further away than it actually was. "There hasn't been one solid piece of proof to believe they are here. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. Provided by Touchpoints Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. In only one report had an official from the Pennsylvania Game Commision, a local warden, actually agree with the person reporting the sighting. 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. "We should be getting more pictures. If you see a puma (mountain lion-cougar), contact me. He notes how over the millennia, the region was inhabited by humans, only to be depopulated by migration brought on by the search of food due to a fickle climate, war or epidemic. 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. 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. While there have been no confirmed occurrences of mountain lions in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s, dozens . "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. This is huge news for conservationists around the country and a sign that cougars may be heading east once again. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. See also: Are there Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic States? Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Colorado has a large number of mountain lions within its borders, mostly due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. In January, the U.S. 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? Woolly mammoth bones were discovered in Bradford County in 1983. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. I've seen hoaxes, of pumas carrying deer shot with game cameras, but these were of western cats. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. Accounts abound concerning interaction between these great beasts and people in northeast Pennsylvania, with wolves into the early 19th century and in the case with cougars, well into the early 20th century. Are There Mountain Lions In Pa? - CLJ 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. 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? 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. Luxury Cabin Rentals: Pocono Mountain Getaways | Glamping Hub Fish and Wildlife Service. Goggling Eastern Puma brings up other web sites, however, with varying levels of professionalism or credibility. "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. Imagine my surprise. Unfortunately, their web site no longer seems active, and has been taken over by some wacky drug product. The rocky habitat that covers much of the state is perfect for these ambush predators, especially since humans dont inhabit much of the land. You've got a mountain lion story or photo? 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 . What equipment do we take in the field? September 21st, 2008, 08:14 PM #74. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. Did they migrate south from Canada? Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. However, many of my reports were at distances that people knew, and as you look at the images of the puma there really is a big difference in color and shape between a puma and a house cat. What would account for the long tails? Would a puma then qualify as a native species? Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions. The State cites that there are no road-kills, and in a heavily trafficed state like Pennsylvania there should be kills. Recently, on our Arizona Hummingbird and Bat Photo Shoot, I found a deer that had been hit by a car and had moved off to die beside a stream just 200 yards upstream from our lodge. I can't dismiss the eye-witnesses I've interviewed. Many of the reports I receive are extremely credible. Let me know if you have seen one! After all, how many people have pumas? Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? Pocono Mountains - Travel guide at Wikivoyage Biologists who investigate these reports claim that several may, indeed, be mountain lions, but most likely they're animals that have escaped from captivity or have been released by their. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no wild, breeding cougar populations in this state anymore. This ideal habitat allows for a large population of 2,000 mountain lions to thrive. "I know they're native to this area. 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. All of the above images are of bobcats. A law was passed March 10, 1806, requiring the county to pay the person producing the scalp of a full-grown wolf or cougar, $8, and for the scalp of a young whelp or cub, $4. 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.