Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. Are dangerous creatures lurking outside your tent flap or in the woods beyond your backyard if you live in Pennsylvania? Turkey vultures return to Ohio a sure harbinger of the coming spring? Im 62 and hunted most of my life here in PA. Dont EVER expect to get the truth from anyone with Game departments in any U.S. state. Denise Kunzig, who lives in Orchard Valley on. The Florida panther reached a population low of 20-30 individuals in 1970s, and currently are between 120-200 sub-adults and adults. (AP FILE PHOTO) A Philadelphia Inquirer story said more and more people in Pennsylvania claim they are seeing mountain . San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. Skip to content. The mountain lion was killed east of Altoona and south of State College , Pa. northeast of Raystown Lake between Mt. Coyotes are much smaller, and they have shorter fluffier tails, a pointed face, and large triangular ears. Then I saw and was like, 'It could be a bobcat, possibly mountain lion,' " Nick Dodge said. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." Must of been chasing it for quite some time. As a last resort, you can fight back and try to scare the bear away. 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. An escapee is also possible. 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. 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. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All rights reserved (About Us). But many others believe the big cats, also known as cougars and pumas, are traveling into Pennsylvania from western states, leading to persistent alleged sightings. Sep 16, 2018 at 12:00 am. A second photo of the cat, though shaded, appears to show more of a splotchy coloration on the animal's front limb. I live in Cumberland County about a half a mile from the 944/Enola exit. Human-Wildlife Interactions 5(1) 135-158. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. For more information on mountain lions, visit the . I went to the rocky site and did not find the cat. 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. A cougar or puma is like a UFO with four feet.. Sounded like a giant animal was sprinting down the mountain right before we saw it. They are not a threat to humans, and they are a protected species. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. Coyotes are also confused for cougars (Figure 2). The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in a Randallstown field Tuesday has revived claims that cougars aren't extinct in Maryland. One on Salem Rd and another in the . The Dodge family in Clarks Summit, Lackawanna County, captured an image of a big cat strolling behind the fence enclosing their yard and pool. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. This development promised to resolve a decades-old controversy. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. They have adapted to live in the suburbs in woods, fields or evenbackyards without being seen by people. "Now nobody is saying there is a wild emu population in Pennsylvania. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. Pennlive.com reports trappers kill more than 40,000 of them in Pennsylvania every year. On another occasion my sons best friend saw a fawn colored mt. Over 1,100 people follow her page. Tumble drying clothes for 10 minutes will kill ticks. Hikers saw a mountain lion walking along a hiking trail as it was hunting a deer in Big Bend National Park, Texas. No one needs to panic.". The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. This cat had brown fur with a white underbelly, and a black, brown and white face. 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. Some biologists thinks it's time to bring them back to help manage deer populations. Immediately report the sighting by calling Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 . While living in Potter County, Pennsylvania and riding my horses. U.S. FOREST SERVICE PHOTO The tail of the cat is an excellent identification tool: cougars have two- to three-foot-long wiry tails with a black tip, and bobcats have a short bobbed tail that is only three to eight inches long. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. House cats and raccoons can also be confused for cougars. . Share Tweet Share Share. This was hit by a truck on Mill Creek Road . Long-distance dispersal of a subadult male cougar from South Dakota to Connecticut documented with DNA evidence. I had a mountain lion in the field across from my house a couple years ago. 2019 mountain lion in Pennsylvania / definitive proof Joe and Angelika Kelley 12 subscribers Subscribe 91 16K views 3 years ago When something digs up your yard and you film it. Mattson, D., Kenneth, L., and Sweanor, L. 2011. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. Bobcats (2a; photo credit: Dave Jackson) and coyotes (2b; photo credit Scott Weikert) are often confused for cougars (2c). It will happen eventually. 0:57 A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. Their conclusion: Sir, you dont have a mountain lion. A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. No wonder I have not seen that many rabbits or squirrels lately. In 1991 mountain lion tracks were found . There has never been any conclusive evidence.". Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Reintroduction of the cougar (Felis concolor) in Adirondack Park: A problem analysis and recommendations. Claws are a great way to tell bear tracks apart from cougar tracks: cougar claws can retract their claws and their claws tend to only be extended when on slippery surfaces, on the other paw, bears cannot control their claws and they can be found on every track. " No humans were injured, but the mountain lion was apparently injured and stunned. But more and more people in Pennsylvania, from the Alleghenies to the Poconos to rolling farmlands in York County, claim they are seeing the big cats here, even though the state's "last" native lion, also known as a cougar or puma, was shot and killed in Berks County in 1871 and the feds have declared the Eastern subspecies extinct. "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. In one case out of Reading, a sighting of an apparent cheetah turned out to be an African serval that was likely bred and domesticated illegally. Orange and tan house cats are also confused for cougars. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Thousands of deer. 2 houses up from my house. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. 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." Crews help rescue bulldog from Hellertown underground tank, Pa. among 13 states hit by illness linked to pet turtles. A 2011 study examined cougar attacks across the US and Canada and found that since 1890, there have been only 29 confirmed fatalities.) Figure 1. Murray said Rocky was emaciated and chained when she found him at a private zoo. No one needs to panic.". Dispersal can be mean treks as long as 1,000 miles in search of territory. Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all different names for the same animal ( Puma concolor ). Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. It is a known fact that when an area is overpopulated, wild animals will migrate out of an area and into a new area that is less populated. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". State Farm insurancecalculates that one out of every 67 drivers in Pennsylvania had a claim related to a deer collision in 2016. Repellant can protect exposed skin from ticks. Slowly, mountain lions recolonized North America after having retreated to warmer climates in South America during the Pleistocene ice age. The last wild cougar in Pennsylvania was killed in 1871 and the last cougar born on the East Coast was killed in 1938 in Maine. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. It stopped and looked directly at me. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. The cats journey was well documentedboth photographs and genetic samples (fecal matter and hair) were collected along its journey. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; Without some adaptions and major changes in public opinion, it is unlikely that cougars can be restored in Pennsylvania, as the Adirondacks in 1980s was much less populated than Pennsylvania today. They will not find a female in these areas, so they eventually make their way back to the western range or die in the attempt. If you're bitten by a venomous snake, dial 911 immediately and seek medical attention. Isolated juvenile males have been found as far east as Michigans Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Black bear can be easily told apart from cougars: black bears have five toes to cougars four and their footpads are more elongated. He saw a cougar and ended up shooting and killing the animal. The cougar was photographed as it made its way from Minnesota to Wisconsin. Although common at the time of European settlement, the last known historical specimen in Missouri was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927. I work near Hazleton, Pa. The track of a cougar found in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photo credit: Michigan Department of Natural Resources). The nearest breed population of cougars is in Nebraskas Niobrara River Valleynearly 1,000 miles from Pennsylvanias eastern border (Figure 1). 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. The farther a male must travel the more likely they are to die. The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in Georgia happened in 2008 when a hunter was out looking for deer. Recent confirmed sightings of mountain lions in North Dakota are about 20-40 per year. Coyoteseat wildlife including mice, voles, deer, rabbits and woodchucks. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". All rights reserved. As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be attributed to the same cat. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". Because this cat is rarely seen, it is commonly confused with cougars, but there are some key differences between bobcats and cougars (Figure 2). Pennsylvania would be incredibly difficult for cougars to reach. It has been well known that cariabou have migrated from Canada, so why not the mountain lion? Over time, this will help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and potential for human-puma conflict. 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. When I say large, I mean way bigger than a house cat, about the size of a 60lb dog. The mountain lionalso known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamountis a large cat species native to the Americas. This definitely wasnt a bobcat. That's not to say that there is not a mountain lion in the wild," he explains. If a cougar were to make it to Pennsylvania, it is illegal to harm. EDITORS: Gary San Julian can be reached at 814-863-0401. http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-management-and-some-thoughts-on-predator-control/, Just posted if looked like this size The report in Greene County is the only one confirmed to be a mountain lion. Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. If you encounter a bear that hasn't had time to leave, the game commission advises you to make a noise to alert the bear of your presence. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. Still, you just never know". Previous Post Dani Moz featured in blockbuster movie trailer 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. declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, California residents do not sell my data request. House cats tails and fur are also another excellent way to tell them from cougars. Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. Three types ofvenomous snakes live in Pennsylvania: the timber rattlesnake (pictured), the eastern massasauga and the northern copperhead. "Recently there was an emu captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County," says Feaser. The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax, http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/august01/lion.tif. The report says 58 people suffered allergic reactions and died from stings in Pennsylvania between 2001-13. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. The hikers did not see the prey animal, but the mountain lion was focused and had zeroed in on something in the bushes. Passed 10 feet in front of us. All three are pit vipers, which means you can identify them by "facial pits." They shared the unusual sight with WHNT-News. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. 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. 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