Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over. From PD: Read your article about mountain lions in NJ. 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. So glad to post. Hawley, J.E., Rego, P.W., Wydeven, A.P., Schwartz, M.K., Viner, T.C., Kays R., Pilgrim, K.L., and Jenks, J.A. He's sitting in a plastic doghouse, paws crossed, amber eyes locked on the two men ticking him off by their mere presence out beyond the fence. Mountain lions, also commonly known as cougars, are officially extinct in both Pennsylvania and the United States east of the Mississippi. Officials with the Pennsylvania Game Commission told WHNT the cat in Clarks Summit could be a bobcat, though they tend to be more active at night. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. The mountain lion was killed east of Altoona and south of State College , Pa. northeast of Raystown Lake between Mt. 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. House cats on average are 11lbs and only a foot tall, which is much smaller than a cougar. Lion take a fawn in a swamp 1 mile from my home in the same county. 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. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. Despite annual reports since the 1950s, no confirmed sighting was made in the state until the 1990s. Fish and Wildlife Service thinks cougars wereprobably wiped out in the 1930s in the eastern United States. MDC established a Mountain Lion Response Team in 1996 to investigate reports and evidence of mountain lions. This is a BIG cat! Immediately report the sighting by calling Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 . "Also, pretty sure there is color variation in a bobcats fur color, so what Im thinking is a good-sized, tawny colored bobcat.". Cougars are seven to eight feet in length (head to tail) and stand two to three feet at the shoulder. Most spiders have fangs to deliver venom, but only two in Pennsylvania have bites withserious medical implications for humans: the black widow (pictured) and the brown recluse. The state has an estimated1.5 milliondeer, about 30 per square mile. By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com. Adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between . 'Nothing to see here folks, move along'". From 2015 through 2017, at least 100 pumas were spotted in the county, according to Tribune data gathered in 2018. My speed was 40mph, I got a good look at it. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. 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. Cars and car tires are also good scales; a cougar will be half the length of a sedan and taller than its tires. Of course, bees are crucial to our existence. Eastern coyotes are prevalent in Pennsylvania. Cougars are kept in captivity by a few people, but these cats are large agile wild animals that are not suited to captivity. Cover Image: A cougar in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photo credit: Michigan DNR). I live in Cumberland County about a half a mile from the 944/Enola exit. As an apex predator, their extirpationlocalized extinctionhas caused incalculable harm to the ecosystems of Pennsylvania. If you see any of these four wild animals in Pennsylvania, definitely keep a safe distance. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. 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. In 2016, a trail cam photo in South Jersey was later determined to show a house cat. Across . i have seen a mountain lion in Hawks Mountain where persons watch hawk migration about 7 to 10 years ago. The mountain lionalso known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamountis a large cat species native to the Americas. It eventually ran away from the scene. "When I started telling people, most of them didn't believe me, but I will never forget that huge face staring right at me," said a Montgomery County woman who says she saw a lion last summer in Limerick Township while walking her dog. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. Bobcats (2a; photo credit: Dave Jackson) and coyotes (2b; photo credit Scott Weikert) are often confused for cougars (2c). If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. Other sightings have been reported in Forks Township. When they are in these new areas, the young males are almost constantly moving looking for an area with females. The Florida panther reached a population low of 20-30 individuals in 1970s, and currently are between 120-200 sub-adults and adults. If you suspect a coyote is living near you, you should call the state game commission at 610-926-3136. PhillyVoice Staff, The coloration and the shape of the head lean toward mountain lion. Crews help rescue bulldog from Hellertown underground tank, Pa. among 13 states hit by illness linked to pet turtles. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. Pennsylvania Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser notes that his agency agrees with San Julian. The nearest known populations of mountain lions are in Wyoming, Colorado, North . The hikers did not see the prey animal, but the mountain lion was focused and had zeroed in on something in the bushes. Males territories are generally twice the size of a females territory (50-350 square miles), and they overlap the territory of several females. An attack on a 4-year-old near San Diego is just the latest in a string of mountain lion attacks in California. 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. Im an avid mature person with a biology degree. Some of the regional tribes include the Tonkawa, Kiowa and Apache. Nov. 11, 2021 - A California Mountain Lion was seen at approximately 4:52 p.m. on Nov. 11 near the University Glen water tanks and on the main part of the campus near Santa Barbara Street and Camarillo Street. Bobcat and coyote tracks have been misidentified as cougar tracks. Florida panther population estimate updated. 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. 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. Dispersing cats do not stay in new areas because there are no females. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. Also on the extirpated list are wolves, lynx, moose and wolverines. Mattson, D., Kenneth, L., and Sweanor, L. 2011. Collection. Ok, so they may have been extinct for some time, but if people are sighting them, has anyone considered migration? But the reported road-kill apparently never happened. http://cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/?p=938, have seen mountain lion in armstrong co.Pa, neibore has seen 2. 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. 3 Last 10 Years. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. Was running and had very long stride, at least 6 foot. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. 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. Then there is Rocky. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. 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. These indentations on their cheeks help them sense heat and find prey. Juvenile females do not disperse like males, which limits cougar range expansion. Slowly, mountain lions recolonized North America after having retreated to warmer climates in South America during the Pleistocene ice age. House cats and raccoons can also be confused for cougars. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. In January, the U.S. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. 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? The Journal of Wildlife Management 76(7):1364-1369. Juvenile males are the individuals that are seen outside of traditional" cougar range in places like Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The best way to differentiate cougar tracks from other animals is size; cougar tracks are usually four inches from heel to toe and four inches wide, roughly twice the size of bobcats or coyotes. http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-management-and-some-thoughts-on-predator-control/, Just posted if looked like this size Not valid with other promotions. The size was then confirmed to me, had a long tail also, had no markings but appeared dark grey in the sun. Recent confirmed sightings of mountain lions in North Dakota are about 20-40 per year. Pennsylvania's venomous snakes are hard to find. Symptoms usually disappear after four days. The bobcat wouldn't survive. Lion sightings they got. The last native. Paws 'N' Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. Still, Pennsylvania does have adequate cougar habitat, according to San Julian. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. Figure 2. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. near-impossibility because of the rarity of that recessive gene. Cougars are a tawny brown to orange and much larger than bobcats; cougars weigh up to a muscular 220lbs; bobcats are grey to brown with black spots and only weigh on average 25lbs. I have seen Bobcats. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Fish and Wildlife Service recently declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies of mountain lions native to North America, but reports of black panthers generally are. Figure 1. Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a . If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great content OutdoorNews.com has to offer, click here . Their bodies are mainly covered in tawny-beige fur, except for the whitish-gray belly and chest. 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. They were extirpated from Indiana by the late 1800s. Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Bears tend to be shy and want to avoid contact with people, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. Friends in the area reported having a large long tailed mountain lion run across a road just in front of their truck. It's only found in thewestern part of the state. Coyotes are much smaller, and they have shorter fluffier tails, a pointed face, and large triangular ears. One on Salem Rd and another in the . Over time, this will help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and potential for human-puma conflict. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. 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. You read it here first: Mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania: Just prior to the start of Pennsylvanias two-week firearms deer season, the volunteers at the Eastern Puma Research Network put out a call to hunters. And when our officers go out to investigate reports of mountain lions, or when our staff reviews photos that are sent to us, often we're able to verify some other animal mistakenly was reported as a mountain lion.". Still, you just never know". Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. . The Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reports on a mountain lion sighting in April 2022. The distance traveled varies based on habitat, time of year, and study methods. She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. Three types ofvenomous snakes live in Pennsylvania: the timber rattlesnake (pictured), the eastern massasauga and the northern copperhead. Yes I believe their are mountain lion ghost cats in PA. PA mountain areas are remote and it is impossible to kill all of the cats who are quite secretive. Hildreth says the animals are capable of moving long distances across the state. "We should be getting more pictures. 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. And when our officers go out to investigate reports of mountain lions, or when our staff reviews photos that are sent to us, often we're able to verify some other animal mistakenly was reported as a mountain lion.". 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. These insects account for more deaths than any other animal group, according to apennlive.com report. Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all different names for the same animal ( Puma concolor ). Dispersal can be mean treks as long as 1,000 miles in search of territory. 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. Are the mountain lion sightings in Monterey for real? 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. Cougars are recolonizing the Midwest: Analysis of cougar confirmations during 19902008. Hikers saw a mountain lion walking along a hiking trail as it was hunting a deer in Big Bend National Park, Texas. They said it was the size of their German Shepard and theres nothing else it couldve possibly been. So it's possible that cougars survive. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. The bobcat is native to most of North America and is the only feline predator, aside from feral domestic cats, found in Pennsylvania. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. Foster said mountain lions and bobcats could not breed. I also saw a mountain lion recently crossing road next to creek in Canadensis PA. We heard the fox screaming multiple times before we saw it. There are more than 4,000 of them in Pennsylvania. The team has investigated hundreds of reports, but most turned out to be bobcats. Am 74 years old, of very sound mind usually pretty skeptical, but i saw this animal and after much consideration have concluded it could only be a mountain lion or cougar. The Eastern Cougar Foundation, a clearinghouse for cougar sightings, claims it has received proof that big cats do exist in Missouri, Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois and Kentucky, and in Ontario and New Brunswick, Canada. , Kiowa and Apache that recessive gene over mountain lion sightings in pa, this will help us evaluate problem,. Or otherwise found dead of 20-30 individuals in 1970s, and they have shorter fluffier tails, pointed... 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