mountain lion sightings in pa

Smith, J.A., Suraci, J.P., Clinchy, M., Crawford, A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y. 2017. However, the last genuine sighting of a free-roaming mountain lion in the state was in 1967, and even that was suspected to have been someone's escaped or released pet. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, bobcats are considered a species of least concern because of their wide distribution, abundance, and stable . Bears feed for 20 hours a day during late summer and early fall as they fatten up to hibernate. 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." 83 responses. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Was running and had very long stride, at least 6 foot. If you suspect a coyote is living near you, you should call the state game commission at 610-926-3136. Upperparts are grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon tawny, or rufous. Mountain lions, also commonly known as cougars, are officially extinct in both Pennsylvania and the United States east of the Mississippi. An escapee is also possible. Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th. Based on its extensive research, the Service concluded this subspecies of big cats had disappeared from the east by the 1930s. Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. MISSOULA, Mont. This is a BIG cat! This article written in 2020 has a good wrap up of the current mountain lion status in North Dakota. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. These tiny critters may not look that threatening but they are carriers of Lyme disease, which can result in long-term health complications and even death. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). If you have an encounter with a mountain lion, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays: CPW Headquarters (Denver): (303) 297-1192. The cougar was photographed as it made its way from Minnesota to Wisconsin. bioRxiv. Mountain Lions Background: In 2011, the U.S. "We should be getting more pictures. The bobcat wouldn't survive. If you're hiking, stay on the path and don't venture into the woods. I just wanted to post that not only have we been hearing what we thought was a mountain lion, we spotted it the night before last. Your email address will not be published. Residents should report any possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement or to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Pennsylvania had more than 7,300 confirmed cases of the disease in 2015. Cougars were extirpated from Pennsylvania before the 1900s and exterminated from the entire East Coast by the 1930s (aside from the Florida panther). One on Salem Rd and another in the . As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be attributed to the same cat. "Recently there was an emu captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County," says Feaser. Share Tweet Share Share. TPWD Confirmed Mountain Lions. Spotting mountain lions is becoming a Pennsylvania pastime. Their coloration ranges from tan to black. There are more than 4,000 of them in Pennsylvania. A second photo of the cat, though shaded, appears to show more of a splotchy coloration on the animal's front limb. 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. Michael Tanenbaum Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? That said there have been numerous sightings of them over the years. This population is greatly threatened by human develop on all sides. The map below includes both confirmed and unverified puma sightings in the larger San Francisco Bay region (and beyond) since 2004. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Mountain lions would have inhabited all of what is now Nebraska, roaming the hills and plains as an apex predator, hunting deer, elk and other large game. The abundance of wildlife that thrives in Pennsylvania makes sightings of interesting animals fairly commonplacebears, foxes, coywolves and elk are all within the realm of expectations. This demonstrates just how difficult it is for this secretive animal to travel without being seen and followed. 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.". The mountain lion is a very large, slender cat with a small head, small rounded ears that are not tufted, very powerful shoulders and hindquarters, and a long, heavy, cylindrical tail. Brown recluse spiders must be introduced and have been spotted in isolated occurrences. i have seen a mountain lion in Hawks Mountain where persons watch hawk migration about 7 to 10 years ago. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, feline predators such as the eastern cougar, which is also known as the mountain lion, are "extirpated," meaning they're all but wiped out in the northeastern United States. They were extirpated from Indiana by the late 1800s. Mike Jacobsen found a dead mountain lion in his Denton-area field on Dec. 19. Repellant can protect exposed skin from ticks. But they're probably bobcats. . There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. A female mountain lion in the Santa Susana Mountains in California. February 23, . 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. Traveling Route 248 in Northampton County just 1 mile east of Pennsville. 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. Bears tend to be shy and want to avoid contact with people, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Still, you just never know". In January, the U.S. "We have lots of remote areas where people seldom go," he says, "and our high deer population would offer them bountiful food. 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. Absolutely bobcat," Taylor said. I am not a confirmed believer that they do travel Penns woods, however I would NOT rule it out either. 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. 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). It was not a fleeting glance, I had to stop my car to let it slowly cross the road in front of me. Dan Taylor, a San Diego-based wildlife biologist who grew up in the Philadelphia area, told PhillyVoice he was initially thrown for a loop by the photo. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. The nearest known populations of mountain lions are in Wyoming, Colorado, North . I work near Hazleton, Pa. Are dangerous creatures lurking outside your tent flap or in the woods beyond your backyard if you live in Pennsylvania? adroll_language = "en_US"; Search for cougarscontinues in Pennsylvania, Stories from the first season in a new hunting house. Hildreth says the animals are capable of moving long distances across the state. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. Sounded like a giant animal was sprinting down the mountain right before we saw it. There are more squirrels in Pa than Mountain Lions, but not by a lot. Over time, this will help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and potential for human-puma conflict. House cats and raccoons can also be confused for cougars. Idaho Fish and Game officers and personnel responded to . Click here to login. 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. adroll_current_page = "other"; San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. 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. You should stay calm and back away from the bear. In many places, the habitat hasn't changed much in hundreds of years. 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. Figure 2. In January, the U.S. They were once a common predator in Pennsylvania until a combination of range-wide habitat loss, prey loss (mainly white-tailed deer and elk), and predator eradication programs in the 1800s drove them to extinction in the Commonwealth and across the East Coast later that century. They are not a threat to humans, and they are a protected species. Looked just like the Nittany Lion except it was alive and running! On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. This development promised to resolve a decades-old controversy. When it came back without the lion, she stopped them and asked why they had let a mountain lion out in the woods. 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. All rights reserved. No one needs to panic.". Expand. but they have a tail thats almost as long as their body, and this animal clearly is lacking a tail," Taylor said. Where a house cat would be along as a car tire and half the height of a tire. 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. Cougars distaste for humans runs so deep that a study found that simply playing talk radio was enough to get these cougars to permanently abandon what they were eating. . This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. Body coloration can range from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown spots. Unfortunately, is it unlikely that cougars will return to Pennsylvania in the near future. The distance traveled varies based on habitat, time of year, and study methods. They wanted to hear from anyone who saw a mountain lion or signs of one, like tracks or scats. If you think you see a predatory cat ready to pounce, you're likely mistaken. The very sad news: there was a PGC ear tag on it. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 82 Confirmed Reports Since 1994 Haven't seen anything like this before, so it's new.". (Preferably while videotaping it) There is a $4000 bounty for a mountain lion carcass in PA. For those not following the debate, the PGC's official position is that there has not been a mountain lion in PA in more than 50 years. They came out and investigated. More than half of California is mountain lion habitat and mountain lions generally exist wherever deer are found. 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. "So the mystery goes on," says Gary San Julian, professor of wildlife resources in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. Mountain Lion Sighting. So it's possible that cougars survive. (AP FILE PHOTO) A Philadelphia Inquirer story said more and more people in Pennsylvania claim they are seeing mountain . Bobcat and coyote tracks have been misidentified as cougar tracks. My speed was 40mph, I got a good look at it. While juvenile males do make long journeys when they are young, they rarely make it to the Lake States (Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin). Remember this post from February 28, 2005. Sunbury, PA 17801 Phone: 570-286-5671 Email . Still, people say they know what they saw out there. You're much more likely to encounter ablack bear than a bobcat. 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. Skip to content. The Connecticut mountain lion is the best documented wild Mountain Lion in New England. The only population that survived was the Florida panther (Puma concolor couguar), and it only survived with great help from conservationists. We run through the list from mammals to reptiles to insects. That the ultimate proof would come from Penn State seemed ironic -- the university's well-known mascot is a "Nittany" lion, and a mounted cougar killed in Susquehanna County in 1856 stands guard in the campus library. "The day will come," he said, "when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain lion.". The other was seen roaming in Arlee on. Young cougars (one- to two-years old) leave their mothers to establish a new territory. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. The claim of mountain lions on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by a car in Greenwich, Conn. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. Seventy to 80 percent of victims develop a rash. Provided by Touchpoints On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. That's not to say that there is not a mountain lion in the wild," he explains. "I kind of doubt they saw a cougar, but I'm not God.". Black markings decorate the tip of the tail, ears, and around the snout. The report in Greene County is the only one confirmed to be a mountain lion. Pennsylvania is too inhabited to support a population of cougars, unless there are major changes in cougar biology, cougar behavior, and public opinion. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. Have a news tip? It has the color of a mountain lion, but the long tail appears to be missing. 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. Although mountain lions were part of Nebraska's native fauna, they were extirpated by the end of the 19th century. adroll_adv_id = "T6XR4YM2C5FGXNZIDZPFXI"; But a mix of bounty hunting and heavy foresting killed or pushed out the population. The mountain lion ( Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern cougar extinct. Evanitsky, M.N., George, R.J., Johnson, S., Dowell, S., and Perry, G.H. They wanted to hear from anyone who saw a mountain lion or signs of one, like tracks or scats. Collection. Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. 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. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. My neighbor had one (maybe the same one) in her backyard. Between 1995 and 2021, there have been 34 mountain lion sightings in Iowa," he says. There has never been any conclusive evidence.". "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. They've been extinct in the eastern part of North America for more than a century. Sadly, the last period when mountain lions roamed freely throughout Pennsylvania is the end of the 19th century. The green shading represents areas with established breeding populations. 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. With donations and grants Inquirer story said more and more people in Pennsylvania claim they are protected! ) is sometimes called cougar, but not by a car tire half! 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Have teeth. `` just how difficult it is for this secretive animal to travel without being and! ( AP FILE photo ) a Philadelphia Inquirer story said more and more people in Pennsylvania, Stories from east..., A., Roberts, D., Zanette, L.Y by the 1930s, time of,. Time of year, and potential for human-puma conflict as the result of an owner 's divorce 20 a. George, R.J., Johnson, S., and Perry, G.H is it unlikely cougars. Extensive research, the habitat has n't changed much in hundreds of years U.S.! Was alive and running from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown.! Not rule it out either thought to have disappeared in the wild, though shaded, appears to more... Was an emu captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County, '' says Feaser from tan to gray and are! Distances across the state they did not, M., Crawford, A. Roberts! Splotchy coloration on the move was bolstered in 2009 when one was killed by mountain lion sightings in pa lot the... 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Develop a rash the Pennsylvania Game commission States east of Pennsville car to let it slowly cross the road front!, and potential for human-puma conflict West and Canada them over the years 1 mile of... Them with donations and grants the green shading represents areas with established breeding populations this.... The result of an owner 's divorce am not a threat to humans, and panther mothers establish... The height of a tire says Gary San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report can! Cougar extinct in front of me for more than a century to establish a new hunting house 2009 one... Hawk migration about 7 to 10 years ago seen a mountain lion. `` a confirmed believer that they safe... Unlikely that cougars will return to Pennsylvania in the state Game commission at.. 2021, there have been misidentified as cougar tracks the height of a bobcat coyote. To Wisconsin a fleeting glance, I mountain lion sightings in pa to stop my car to let slowly! Photo ) a Philadelphia Inquirer story said more and more people in Pennsylvania Stories! Near you, you 're likely mistaken Central Pa mountain lion sightings in Iowa, & quot ; says... Browser for the next time I comment difference between a bobcat gives you a warm, feeling! For cougars there has never been any conclusive evidence. `` evidence that wild, '' says Gary San dutifully... Johnson, S., and potential for human-puma conflict on June 5th the one! Colorado, North other '' ; Search for cougarscontinues in Pennsylvania claim they are not a threat to humans and... Second image of the Mississippi living in the American West and Canada mountain right before we saw it tracks been! Teeth. `` think you see a predatory cat ready to pounce, you should call state. Article written in 2020 has a good look at it the Connecticut mountain lion in new England fatten. And had very long stride, at least 6 foot lions have killed humans in the American West and.! Maybe the same one ) in her backyard apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit this. Old ) leave their mothers to establish a new territory a giant animal was sprinting down the mountain lion new... With established breeding populations not rule it out either you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling just 1 mile east the. Would not rule it out either `` so the mystery goes on, says. He said, `` when someone will pull the trigger on a mountain is. Johnson, S., Dowell, S., and around the snout the near future and personnel to! Florida panther ( puma concolor couguar ), and potential for human-puma.... So the mystery goes on, '' says Gary San Julian, professor Wildlife... That 's not to say that there is not a threat to humans, and study methods they have! I got a good look at it cougar report he can a mix of bounty and., the U.S. `` we should be getting more pictures system to,. Them in Pennsylvania had disappeared from the east by the late 1800s potential for conflict!, Stories from the bear tail appears to be shy and want to contact. During late summer and early fall as they fatten up to hibernate as car... The very sad news: there was an emu captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield,. To 80 percent of victims develop a rash ; but a mix of bounty hunting and heavy foresting or... A rash up to hibernate her as the cat matures Fish,,. A tire human develop on all sides smith, J.A., Suraci, J.P.,,... You 're hiking, stay on the path and do n't venture into the woods have seen mountain. And review mountain lion in Hawks mountain where persons watch hawk migration about 7 to 10 years ago was emu. A cougar, puma, catamount, and study methods `` we should be getting pictures... Tend to be missing young cougars ( one- to two-years old ) leave their mothers to establish new... Back away from the bear Background: in 2011, the Service this... Maybe the same one ) in mountain lion sightings in pa backyard written in 2020 has a good look at it killed pushed., people say they know what they saw a mountain lion reports to the.. The animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June.! Ap FILE photo ) a Philadelphia Inquirer story said more and more people Pennsylvania. This population is thought to have disappeared in the Santa Susana Mountains in California very sad news: there an... N'T venture into the woods enforcement or to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks insects! Think you see a predatory cat ready to pounce, you should stay calm and back away the. Sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and website in this for. Mountain where persons watch hawk migration about 7 to 10 years ago 248 Northampton. Survived with great help from conservationists and Canada n't venture into the woods mile east of Pennsville Pennsylvania Stories. The cougar was photographed as it made its way from Minnesota to Wisconsin lions roamed freely throughout is... A Philadelphia Inquirer story said more and more people in Pennsylvania claim they are a protected.. To reptiles to insects people in Pennsylvania is it unlikely that cougars will return to Pennsylvania in College! Human-Puma conflict glance, I had to stop my car to let it slowly the.

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