The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. As they get older, the cubs begin to leave the den and explore. A neighbor scared the animal away before it could finish its meal; the sheeps carcass was used as bait, to catch the big cat. The first settlers kept sheep to supply their household with wool. The last of three glaciations covered 30% of Pennsylvania, including much of the Poconos, from around 20,000-10,000 B.C. The Cougar Network, working with state agencies, have documented multiple mountain lions as far east as Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan in recent years, as well as that cat killed on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2011. It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. If mountain lions are discovered in PA anytime soon they'll either be big foot's pets or genetically engineered and released by the DCNR to cull the orangu-bear population. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. Knowing that pumas range widely, would my ridge be the only one closed? Conversely, an outdoor writer I know told me that when Pa. enacted a menagerie permit law years ago, 'a lot of mountain lions suddenly died,' as the owners of these cats, rather than going through the paperwork, simply released their pumas and claimed that they had died. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? With the Great Lakes in its way, the cat moved either north or south of the water, and the latter route would have seen it pass through at least some of Pennsylvania. A few could, perhaps, be mistaken idenity. Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? Many people have claimed to see them, and this writer chronicled numerous such reports in the local press from the mid-1990s to the 2010s. The reintroduction of mountain lions into South Dakota is one of the great wins of modern conservation. 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. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. Had this been faked, I'd suspect the hoaxter would try for a more authentic background. In books I've read critical or skeptical or down-right dismissive of the idea of pumas in the East, the argument has been advanced that the hopefull puma-dreamer/spotters arguing that the State needs to prove pumas don't exist does not mean that in the State not proving this means that pumas indeed do exist in this state. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. If pumas do exist in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, could they all be released cats or escapees? She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. 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!' 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. If it were, it would be listed. Every year we receive a few similar reports from hikers, hunters or other outdoor enthusiasts. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? That solution: Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? During this time, male mountain lions will travel in search of females. What is the Kiboko backpack? However, if you've seen a mountain lion, or other mystery creature, or evidence of either, in Pennsylvania, contact outdoor writer Marcus Schneck at mschneck@pennlive.com.). One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. Albinos are often very light sensitive, and they certainly are conspicuous, and most do not live very long. Arkansas isnt somewhere that we would generally think of when looking for mountain lions, but they are on the rebound! Best hike for seeing waterfalls. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. This happens usually around the 18-month mark. 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. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead. There also were camels, sloth and hyena, which migrated elsewhere. years are available through this link. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" 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? Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Some cats had a South American genetic profile. Transient males have been sighted as far east as New York! "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. I think it is possible that recognizing the existence of pumas in the East could jeopardize this industry and an entire economy. The 'look' is from my The state of Idaho is large, expansive, and full of rocky wilderness. 1.8 miles, 2 hours, moderate. Over the last few months several people have responded to this question with reports of their own. Known as the Niagara Falls of Pennsylvania, there are four trails that lead to the cascades from the Bushkill Falls trailhead, each ranging in . Scientists debate whether the large prehistoric mammals became extinct at the end of the Ice Age due to over-hunting, or rapid climate warming. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. Encouraged by the bounties, settlers waged war on these perceived beasts. I had three cameras positioned, so had a cat visited, I'd have had it. Where they always here as a relic population? Imagine my surprise. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. Interestingly, the US Fish and Wildllife Service has declared the Eastern Puma extinct, except for the Florida population known as the Florida panther. 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. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. The story behind our new web site. He knows and was familiar with bobcats, and it was not a weird house cat that he and his friends misjudged in size. Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? I spend a lot of time outdoors, and I've seen about 10 black bears in Pennsylvania, and all within ten miles of my home. More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Both were a threat to the farmer and family who carved a home in the ancient wilderness of the Poconos. "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 Poconos is a mountain area in northeastern Pennsylvania.It is 2,400 square miles of wooded mountains and valleys full of beautiful lakes, rivers, forests and wildlife. All rights reserved (About Us). The 2,400-square-mile area has long been a popular outdoor recreation area boasting hunting, fishing, skiing, and more. According to the commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Then there is Rocky. Mary saw the photo, too, and she immediately agreed, it was a puma. There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. Here's a glimpse at what long-gone Pocono beasts the region's very first wave of residents may have seen, and the wild things that followed up to as late as the early 20th century. The cat is known to live in the western U.S. and Florida, South America and Canada. Several populations of Gray Squirrels scattered around the country are black, and recently I heard of a neighborhood of black Eastern Chipmunks. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? I believe Kross fully, but I wanted to hear more. Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a mountain lion migrated about 1,500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut where it was killed by a. On that, I've had emails sent with game trail photo attachments, or killed pumas, supposedly shot in Pennsylvania, but these were hoaxes. But the point of this article isn't whether or not mountain lions exist in Pennsylvania or the Poconos. Woolly mammoth bones were discovered in Bradford County in 1983. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. But even without that second look there was no question that we'd seen a coyote. Granted, the image is not great, and I used some Photoshop adjustment layers to enhance the image, making it a bit easier to see. One might argue that the eastern puma is extinct, but that does not mean that there are not pumas (mountain lions, cougars) in the east. You be the judge. Others would like to see some scientific proof. Still, people say they know what they saw out there. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Pocono Mountains - Wikipedia 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. Me? What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! Pocono Mountains: Best Things To See And Do - TravelAwaits Mt Lions in WV, NY, and PA - Hoot Hollow Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Goggling Eastern Puma brings up other web sites, however, with varying levels of professionalism or credibility. 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. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. Outdoor adventures abound, and so do our fabulous shopping and restaurants. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. Perhaps one or more of these Pocono sightings represent early pioneers reclaiming their former territories. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. Periodically, via Google searches, I receive reports from people who believe they had seen a mountain lion in Pennsylvania, or in other mid-Atlantic states. When he isn't distracted by his backyard birdfeeder, you can find him camping, exploring, and telling everyone around him about what he's recently learned. Why is bat photography so difficult? 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.". Mountain Lions - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Although a large proportion of the Lenape Nation was dispersed far from their ancestral homelands in the 18th century, colonial settlers and their descendants struggled to live in this region with wolves and cougars inhabiting the forests. Are they all the product of the off-spring of pumas that escaped their owners or were released? So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. Where they always here as a relic population? 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. Big cats in Pennsylvania: mountain lions or bobcats? - Pocono Record And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. The rounded ears, Have some feedback for us? 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. They mostly live in the far western Trans-Pecos region of the state, with about 50,000 to 80,000 acres of suitable land currently being used by the cat. I believe them. Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. "From people that I trust have had visual sightings, they've seen mountain lions.". Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? It was recorded in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 2009 and early 2010, and then died in Connecticut in 2011. I want to believe they're here, but I'm having some trouble. Most, quite honestly, don't know or can't believe or accept what they saw, they really can't believe their eyes. The Pocono Mountains are . These creatures lurking in Pa.'s woods can hurt or kill you The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. 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.".
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