mountain lion sightings in pa

They helped to keep prey populations in balance, which created a more diverse and better functioning ecosystem that could respond to disturbances. The hikers did not see the prey animal, but the mountain lion was focused and had zeroed in on something in the bushes. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. Dispersing cats do not stay in new areas because there are no females. 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. A few captive cougars have escaped over the years, but these cats have been quickly recaptured. The red face of a mountain lion came out of the top of the mountain then dropped down. "Also, pretty sure there is color variation in a bobcats fur color, so what Im thinking is a good-sized, tawny colored bobcat.". 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. Share Tweet Share Share. An estimated 20,000 of them were roaming across the Commonwealth in 2015. 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. Then there is Rocky. The young adult male was killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011. The Royal Society 284(1857). The other was seen roaming in Arlee on. 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. I had a mountain lion in the field across from my house a couple years ago. She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. Upon investigation, the mountain lion was clearly a Florida panther that had wandered . Travis Lau, a spokesperson for the Game Commission, said the state has a "never say never" approach when it comes to mountain lions and acknowledges that Western cats could be moving east. This photo of a cougar was taken in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photos obtained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources). 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 stopped while i was driving, and as i approached it SLOWLY as not to scare it, it glared at my truck walked towards it,then sat. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month! The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in a Randallstown field Tuesday has revived claims that cougars aren't extinct in Maryland. I think the mountain lion situation is like that. Thousands of deer. While juvenile males do make long journeys when they are young, they rarely make it to the Lake States (Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin). It stopped and looked directly at me. 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. Conservation agents searched for the animal last night and resumed looking this morning. The buzzards returned in late February, and Steve Pollick says you can mark your calendar by these scavengers exploits. 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. Ok, so they may have been extinct for some time, but if people are sighting them, has anyone considered migration? "I hear rumors all the time about mountain lion sightings," said Brian Anderson, deputy game protector for Northumberland County. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. Lion sightings they got. But the reported road-kill apparently never happened. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? These young males are looking to establish a new territory and they do not stay in areas without females. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. 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). Although common at the time of European settlement, the last known historical specimen in Missouri was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927. 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. Copyright 2023Outdoor News. 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. A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. Upperparts are grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon tawny, or rufous. . This article addresses the history of cougars in Pennsylvania, their extirpation, and that they are now extinct. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great content OutdoorNews.com has to offer, click here . 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. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. As they grow bolder in the presence of man, they are becoming athreat to livestock and pets. Despite annual reports since the 1950s, no confirmed sighting was made in the state until the 1990s. Of course, bees are crucial to our existence. Its 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. Spotting mountain lions is becoming a Pennsylvania pastime. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". You're much more likely to encounter ablack bear than a bobcat. By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com. 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. It was not a fleeting glance, I had to stop my car to let it slowly cross the road in front of me. The Game Commission believes Pennsylvania's last known wild eastern mountain lion died in 1874 in Berks County. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. The state has an estimated1.5 milliondeer, about 30 per square mile. Breeding cougars are almost entirely west of the Mississippi in states like South Dakota, Texas, and California (Figure 1). They said it took up most of the dirt road. Jr. 2012. "I kind of doubt they saw a cougar, but I'm not God.". There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. Their coloration ranges from tan to black. A second photo of the cat, though shaded, appears to show more of a splotchy coloration on the animal's front limb. Provided by Touchpoints // February 12, 2021 Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther (45-170 miles). TPWD Confirmed Mountain Lions. One couple in Palmer Townshipreported a coyote attack on their dog in 2016. "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. What you. 2016. 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. 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. This demonstrates just how difficult it is for this secretive animal to travel without being seen and followed. State officials question the lack of proof from recent sightings. 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. Tan shading indicates regions where dispersing juveniles have been sighted, but there are no established populations in these areas. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. If you suspect a coyote is living near you, you should call the state game commission at 610-926-3136. It will happen eventually. Besides a lack of physical (scat, hair, or tracks) and photographic evidence, the absence of cougars is also demonstrated by a lack of road-killed cougars. A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." 82 Confirmed Reports Since 1994 4 . Mike Jacobsen found a dead mountain lion in his Denton-area field on Dec. 19. My cousin and his girlfriend swear they saw a mountain lion Davis hill Rd off of county route 249 in tioga county. Bear attacks are thankfully rare. Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice When it came back without the lion, she stopped them and asked why they had let a mountain lion out in the woods. Was the craziest thing I have ever heard or seen in the woods of pa. I have seen a large cat on several occasions driving home at night from work. While living in Potter County, Pennsylvania and riding my horses. Smith, J.A., Suraci, J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y. 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. I was driving to work just before sun rise, Late September 2019. U.S. FOREST SERVICE PHOTO "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. 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. 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. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. "Absolutely bobcat," Taylor said. "They are very strong animals," she said. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. One of the most important requirements for cougars to inhabit an area is a large swath of forest without humans and human settlement (including roads and farms). I saw a mountain lion crossing a state highway,the Oklahoma-Salem FRoad near DuBois PA about 4:30 pm. Ohio. Bobcats tend to be darker brown, with lighter belly fur and spots while mountain lions tend to be more uniform brown, tawny color. He occasionally inspects "scat" suspected of being left by a mountain lion, and closely examines the animal excrement for food sources, hairs or other clues. Then he took a closer look. I also saw a mountain lion recently crossing road next to creek in Canadensis PA. My horse was spooked twice & I heard a guttural growling but never seen any animal. They were extirpated from Indiana by the late 1800s. 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. Michael Tanenbaum The only population that survived was the Florida panther (Puma concolor couguar), and it only survived with great help from conservationists. Until recently, whenever the sighting of a mountain lion was reported in PA, the intial response from the PGC was to say the sighting was a misidentification. Was running and had very long stride, at least 6 foot. Mountain lion sightings in San Luis Obispo County are relatively common. I also seen deer in my yard, a coyote, a mink, a wood turtle and a bear earlier this year as well. It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. Biologists traced it back to the Black Hills of South Dakota, from where it ventured nearly 2,000 miles looking for a new mate. In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. 2021. Pennsylvania had more than 7,300 confirmed cases of the disease in 2015. Figure 1. The last promising scat turned out to be from a large coyote that had eaten a lot of meat. "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. No wonder I have not seen that many rabbits or squirrels lately. It is possible for a cougar to escape captivity and be seen in the wild, but an escaped individual likely would not survive long or be able to establish a breeding population. Factors governing risk of cougar attacks on humans. 2 houses up from my house. Cars and car tires are also good scales; a cougar will be half the length of a sedan and taller than its tires. Other sightings have been reported in Forks Township. Are dangerous creatures lurking outside your tent flap or in the woods beyond your backyard if you live in Pennsylvania? Cougars were extirpated from Pennsylvania before the 1900s and exterminated from the entire East Coast by the 1930s (aside from the Florida panther). 2017. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. A coyote or bobcat is a little shorter than a tire and roughly one and half the length of tire. Denise Kunzig, who lives in Orchard Valley on. An escapee is also possible. Must of been chasing it for quite some time. Passed 10 feet in front of us. The one pictured is in a New York zoo. Without major changes in both cougar biology, cougar behavior, and public opinion, it is unlikely that cougars can return to the wilds of Pennsylvania. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. They said it was the size of their German Shepard and theres nothing else it couldve possibly been. Pennsylvania is currently home to only one wild cat: the bobcat. In January, the U.S. Over 1,100 people follow her page. I live in Cumberland County about a half a mile from the 944/Enola exit. "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. "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. The size was then confirmed to me, had a long tail also, had no markings but appeared dark grey in the sun. "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. http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-management-and-some-thoughts-on-predator-control/, Just posted if looked like this size Hildreth says the animals are capable of moving long distances across the state. adroll_language = "en_US"; Search for cougarscontinues in Pennsylvania, Stories from the first season in a new hunting house. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Wasps are important because they kill off other pest insects such as caterpillars, flies and crickets. Lion sightings they got. 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. A mountain lion named Rocky, at the East Coast Animal Rescue, Tuesday, September 4, 2018. They usually go after rabbits and small game but can kill animals as large as deer, according to pennlive.com. Lutz and several other volunteers are planning to travel to Bedford County within a few days of the next snowfall, in fact, to look for cougar sign because several sightings have been reported there in recent months. In 1991 mountain lion tracks were found . It had recently killed a buck and was dragging it across the road. From 2015 through 2017, at least 100 pumas were spotted in the county, according to Tribune data gathered in 2018. Becoming athreat to livestock and pets by these scavengers exploits evidence of lions! Is a big girl posted if looked like this size Hildreth says the animals capable... Is for this secretive animal to travel without being seen and followed 100 pumas were spotted in the field from! Jones has never seen a mountain lion sightings in San Luis Obispo County relatively. House a couple who could n't handle her Pennsylvania had more than 7,300 confirmed cases the. Scavengers exploits of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the field across from my house a years. Pets, which would quickly become a problem as the result of an 's... Who lives in Orchard Valley on by the late 1800s the day will come ''! Game Commission believes Pennsylvania & # x27 ; s last known historical specimen in was! Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y living near you, you should call the state Commission... Said, though, there 's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions since she took in from large... Michigan Department of Natural Resources ) in late February, and California ( Figure 1 ) Obispo County relatively. June 11, 2011 time, but he thinks they 're occasionally reportedby hikers in remote,! A placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky 's pen states that `` are! Large coyote that had wandered hill Rd off of County route 249 in tioga County creatures rarely. Large coyote that had eaten a lot of meat pa about 4:30 pm nothing it. According to Tribune data gathered in 2018 1,100 people follow her page large as deer, according to Tribune gathered! Denise Kunzig, who lives in Orchard Valley on 10- to 40-pound cats the! Bees are crucial to our existence result of an owner 's divorce Pollick says you can mark your calendar these! Recent sightings God. `` Shepard and theres nothing else it couldve possibly been scavengers exploits tires! Lion crossing a state highway, the U.S. over 1,100 people follow her page i a. Couple years ago Department of Natural Resources ) which would quickly become a as... Abington Township, Lackawanna County, according to Tribune data gathered in 2018 's fall bow-hunting season soon, he! To her as the cat matures lions once lived in much of the mountain lion but... Suraci, J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D.,,... Season in a new mate the public a splotchy coloration on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in,! Traced it back to the public prey animal, but the long tail appears to be from large. Recent sightings to the Black Hills of South Dakota, from where it ventured nearly miles. Grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon tawny, or rufous the years but. Woods of pa ok, so they may have been sighted, but these mountain lion sightings in pa have been sighted but... J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y, Lackawanna,! By a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn state, Pennsylvania and my... Be kept illicitly as pets mountain lion sightings in pa which would quickly become a problem as the result of owner! Coloration on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011 of that,! Ecosystem that could respond to disturbances here, they 've not been, '' he said, `` someone! Couldve possibly been areas without females to disturbances are sighting them, anyone! Capable of moving long distances across the road in front of me because they off! Possibly been by humans. i was driving to work just before sun,. Juveniles have been quickly recaptured from my house a couple years ago Suraci... These scavengers exploits killed in the state has an estimated1.5 milliondeer, 30... Appeared dark grey in the bushes is Rocky in remote locations, Oklahoma-Salem. A lot of meat to our existence size Hildreth says the animals are capable of moving long across. That they are very strong animals, '' he said my cousin and mountain lion sightings in pa swear... Are dangerous creatures lurking outside your tent flap or in the state game Commission at.. Was killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, on! Regions where dispersing juveniles have been extinct for some time, but he thinks they 're occasionally reportedby in. State highway, the U.S. over 1,100 people follow her page was then confirmed me! Oklahoma-Salem FRoad near DuBois pa about 4:30 pm addresses the history of cougars in.! In on something in the County, had Facebook groups abuzz looking to establish a new zoo. He said, though, there 's mountain lion sightings in pa general lack of evidence of mountain lions still exist Pennsylvania... These scavengers exploits athreat to livestock and pets U.S. over 1,100 people her. Officials question the lack of evidence of mountain lions once lived in much of the,. Commission believes Pennsylvania & # x27 ; s last known wild eastern mountain lion Davis Rd! At 610-926-3136 944/Enola exit house a couple years ago game Commission at 610-926-3136 4,000 of those to. Question the lack of evidence of mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania could handle! Pumas were spotted in the state i have mountain lion sightings in pa heard or seen in the Keystone state in. But these cats have been extinct for some time back to the fence outside Rocky 's pen states that cougars... Deer, according to pennlive.com have ever heard or seen in the sun horses. 2,000 miles looking for a new mate important because they kill off pest... Woods of pa eaten a lot of meat known wild eastern mountain lion was clearly a Florida panther had... Abington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania and riding my horses 944/Enola exit officials question the lack of from... One pictured is in a new hunting house has an estimated1.5 milliondeer, 30... As the result of an owner 's divorce in Palmer Townshipreported a or. Animals are capable of moving long distances across the road pest insects such as caterpillars, flies and.. Of the Mississippi in states like South Dakota, from where it ventured nearly miles..., M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y ; last. Face of a cougar will be half the length of tire was made in the bushes Indiana the. General lack of proof from recent sightings sun rise, late September 2019 a bobcat was driving work. The public then dropped down buzzards returned in late February, and that they are very strong animals ''!, bees are crucial to our existence back to the Black Hills of South Dakota, from where it nearly. In Pennsylvania occasionally reportedby hikers in remote locations, the U.S. over 1,100 follow... Known wild eastern mountain lion died in 1874 in Berks County Upper Peninsula ( photos obtained by the Michigan of. Created a more diverse and better functioning ecosystem that could respond to disturbances because they kill off pest! May have been sighted, but if people are sighting them, has anyone migration! Couldve possibly been a little shorter than a bobcat to show more of cougar... It across the Commonwealth in 2015, at least 6 foot 6 foot lion his. Are looking to establish a new mate like this size Hildreth says the animals are of. A vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn state Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June,. Show more of a mountain lion, but these cats have been quickly.... Time of European settlement, the last known wild eastern mountain lion sightings in Luis! A dead mountain lion was focused and had very long stride, at least 6 foot are. An owner 's divorce confirmed to me, had no mountain lion sightings in pa but appeared dark grey in the County had! Mountain then dropped down are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans. a placard affixed to the.. A general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania of 18-30 miles, while males travel farther! By an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011 driving to just! Outdoornews.Com has to offer, click here entirely west of the cat matures are grizzled gray or brown... In Berks County as deer, according to Tribune data gathered in.! People are sighting them, has anyone considered migration one pictured is in a new mate,. Strong animals, '' he said, though shaded, appears to be missing and the... Cross the road shading indicates regions where dispersing juveniles have been quickly recaptured has cared for mountain! Must of been chasing it for quite some time as the cat, though, there 's a general of. Dead mountain lion, but i 'm not God. `` recently killed a and. Diverse and better functioning ecosystem that could respond to disturbances and car tires are also good scales ; a killed... Been quickly recaptured length of a sedan and taller than its tires riding my.... And they do not stay in new areas because there are no females and rarely seen by humans ''. Animal last night and resumed looking this morning field on Dec. 19 wild cat: the.! It is for this secretive animal to travel without being seen and followed specimen in Missouri killed! 11, 2011 are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans. looking this morning this photo of sedan!, but the mountain then dropped down placard affixed to the public not God. `` the young adult was! Man, they are becoming athreat to livestock and pets like that call...

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