Iowa DNR prepares for egg-collection netting season, Randy Claramunt vows to turn challenges into opportunities as Michigans new fisheries chief, WI Daily Update: The scoop on ice shanties, MN Daily Update: Permanent ice house dates, All-time great pro bass angler Kevin VanDam to retire following 23 season. A bobcat or coyote would fit within two or three red pines. Mountain lions are commonly identified by trail camera photographs, tracks, and feces. It's only found in thewestern part of the state. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. 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. Pennsylvania had more than 7,300 confirmed cases of the disease in 2015. Home Pennsylvania Opinion Search for cougarscontinues in Pennsylvania, If youre a regular reader of this publication, or one of my neighbors, then you already know my father and, A fish may see a parade of presentations go by, therefore yours should be better than the rest. Mike Jacobsen found a dead mountain lion in his Denton-area field on Dec. 19. "We have lots of remote areas where people seldom go," he says, "and our high deer population would offer them bountiful food. The only population that survived was the Florida panther (Puma concolor couguar), and it only survived with great help from conservationists. "A cougar or puma is like a UFO with four feet." 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.". No one needs to panic.". 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. Body coloration can range from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown spots. The cougar is much larger and needs at least four trees to be covered. 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. TPWD Confirmed Mountain Lions. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. UPDATE: An alert reader took this photo late September, 2008, from his trail camera near Plummer, PA. UPDATE: An alert reader sent this photo of a mountain lion taken about three weeks ago (September 2009) near Farmington, Pa, in Fayette County. While it is possible for a cougar to make this journey, it is highly unlike for individuals to survive the journey. 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. As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be attributed to the same cat. adroll_version = "2.0"; Always interesting to see the pompous asses state unequivocally that hundreds of their citizens are blind, on drugs, or lying because they have not seen one! The U.S. Hard evidence that wild, free-ranging mountain lions are living in the state they did not. Paws 'N' Claws Animal Park in the Poconos has two. Offer valid thru 3/31/23. Juvenile females do not disperse like males, which limits cougar range expansion. 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. There is also a small population of cougars in Florida. The only cats still hunting in Pennsylvania are bobcats, according to the state game commission. 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. 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. 0:57 A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. I was driving to work just before sun rise, Late September 2019. "They are very strong animals," she said. Other sightings have been reported in Forks Township. 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. They love lurking on theedge of wooded areas near agricultural areas where prey is abundant. 2 Last 5 Years. Saw some huge cat prints on the mountain in NEPA near white haven. They denied there was a mountain lion in their truck. "We should be getting more pictures. Was the craziest thing I have ever heard or seen in the woods of pa. My horse was spooked twice & I heard a guttural growling but never seen any animal. Then it disappeared for some time, until scat was found again in New York, and it was finally killed in Connecticut. "They are very strong animals," she said. Crews help rescue bulldog from Hellertown underground tank, Pa. among 13 states hit by illness linked to pet turtles. The mystery of whether wild eastern cougars, also commonly known as mountain lions, pumas, or panthers, really survive in the Keystone State might finally unravel. Let us know. Follow Michael & PhillyVoice on Twitter @mtanen88| @thePhillyVoice Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. And, if. San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. Abrown recluse bite can yield chills, fever, bloody urine, fatigue, jaundice, pain in the joints, nausea, rash, and in extremely rare cases, convulsions and death. Pennsylvania's venomous snakes are hard to find. What does the perfect setup look like for spring steelhead? Symptoms include nausea, chills, slight fever, rise in blood pressure, fatigue, motor disturbances, breathing difficulty, constipation, and muscle aches, particularly in the abdomen. FAIRFIELD, Pa. An instinct coiled way down in the human brain knows the difference between a bobcat and a mountain lion. Mountain Lion Sighting. A lion that was killed by Berks County coal-burners and . Some restrictions apply. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. 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). Courtesy photo. They helped to keep prey populations in balance, which created a more diverse and better functioning ecosystem that could respond to disturbances. I told her I knew what a Maine Coon cat looked like and this was BIG, had short hair and LONG tail. In the winter, cougar tracks maybe up to six inches long. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. An escapee is also possible. Hikers saw a mountain lion walking along a hiking trail as it was hunting a deer in Big Bend National Park, Texas. But an image captured by one family's security camera last weekend certainly shows what looks to be a mountain lion. If you suspect a coyote is living near you, you should call the state game commission at 610-926-3136. It has been well known that cariabou have migrated from Canada, so why not the mountain lion? Pennsylvania Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser notes that his agency agrees with San Julian. Cougar range based on sightings and physical evidence (Image credit: LaRue et al, 2008). This is a BIG cat! You should bathe soon after coming indoors, preferably within two hours. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? "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. The bobcat wouldn't survive. Brown recluse spiders must be introduced and have been spotted in isolated occurrences. I called the game commission and they told me there have been no mountain lions reported in PA. What is the fascination in Pennsylvania that they always want to kill a mountain line if they find one theyre indigenous they belong there just leave the damn things alone. Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther (45-170 miles). If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. House cats tails and fur are also another excellent way to tell them from cougars. "I have been in this business long enough not to doubt what people say they have seen," says San Julian, "but I think most sightings are escaped pets or animals released by people.". Because this cat is rarely seen, it is commonly confused with cougars, but there are some key differences between bobcats and cougars (Figure 2). This article written in 2020 has a good wrap up of the current mountain lion status in North Dakota. 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. They shared the unusual sight with WHNT-News. 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. Mountain lions are helpful in maintaining order in our ecosystem and assist to keep other wildlife numbers in check. 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. Flickr/Valerie. Although common at the time of European settlement, the last known historical specimen in Missouri was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927. Friends in the area reported having a large long tailed mountain lion run across a road just in front of their truck. Then there is Rocky. There's also a $10k bounty for evidence of anyone illegally re-introducing them to PA. The nearest known populations of mountain lions are in Wyoming, Colorado, North . Thousands of deer. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Figure 2. This photo of a cougar was taken in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photos obtained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources). Absolutely bobcat," Taylor said. 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. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? The Game Commission believes Pennsylvania's last known wild eastern mountain lion died in 1874 in Berks County. They came out and investigated. Seriously, no mountain lions in Pa? Coyoteseat wildlife including mice, voles, deer, rabbits and woodchucks. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. Wasps are important because they kill off other pest insects such as caterpillars, flies and crickets. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. While there are many unconfirmed sightings of mountain lions in Ohio, there is not believed to be any living in the state. at least 1 mountain lion hanging out near a relatively fresh, mostly eaten deer . That's not to say that there is not a mountain lion in the wild," he explains. 2021. Its eventual death and poor condition show how difficult dispersal is and unlikely it is for individuals to survive when they disperse outside of their range. It eventually ran away from the scene. Bear attacks are thankfully rare. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. A bobcat gives you a warm, that-kind-of-looks-like-my-cat-but-slightly-bigger feeling. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". Click here to login. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. The coloration in adults is uniform. San Julian can even send scat to be tested for cougar DNA. The distance traveled varies based on habitat, time of year, and study methods. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Get started. This definitely wasnt a bobcat. They said it was the size of their German Shepard and theres nothing else it couldve possibly been. The state has an estimated1.5 milliondeer, about 30 per square mile. "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. Share on Social Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther (45-170 miles). Still, people say they know what they saw out there. The green shading represents areas with established breeding populations. 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. They include a reported attack on horses at a farm near Dillsburg, York County, that Foster thinks may be legitimate. There have been two mountain lion sightings this week in western Montana. Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. They haven't been . Pennsylvania Game Commission officials say it's very unlikely it was a mountain lion. Sep 16, 2018 at 12:00 am. Over 1,100 people follow her page. Mike Jacobsen was checking his fences near Denton after last month's windstorm when his kids pulled . Reports of a mountain lion have come from several residents of Hemlock Farms who were hiking on. More than half of California is mountain lion habitat and mountain lions generally exist wherever deer are found. Although they're occasionally reportedby hikers in remote locations, the U.S. The Royal Society 284(1857). 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. http://cougarrewilding.org/CougarNews/?p=938, have seen mountain lion in armstrong co.Pa, neibore has seen 2. Cougars are recolonizing the Midwest: Analysis of cougar confirmations during 19902008. She feeds and cares for them with donations and grants. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. When it came back without the lion, she stopped them and asked why they had let a mountain lion out in the woods. Factors governing risk of cougar attacks on humans. Recent post: Why Is It Called Beaver Stadium? You read it here first: Mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania: Just prior to the start of Pennsylvania's two-week firearms deer season, the volunteers at the Eastern Puma Research Network put out a call to hunters. I am not a drinker and dont di drugs. If you see any of these four wild animals in Pennsylvania, definitely keep a safe distance. Then he took a closer look. I saw a Mountain Lion chasing a fox in Perryopolis Pa. Bears feed for 20 hours a day during late summer and early fall as they fatten up to hibernate. 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. 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." The report says 58 people suffered allergic reactions and died from stings in Pennsylvania between 2001-13. It wa an buff colored animal about two feet tall and maybe three feet long with a very long very thick tail. Sadly, the last period when mountain lions roamed freely throughout Pennsylvania is the end of the 19th century. 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. . One on Salem Rd and another in the . Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. Contact a location near you for products or services. 2 houses up from my house. Lion take a fawn in a swamp 1 mile from my home in the same county. "We do not believe that there are any wild, native, breeding cougar populations in Pennsylvania. If you see a bobcat or mountain lion, you can report the sighting to the DEC by calling (518) 357-2158. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in Georgia happened in 2008 when a hunter was out looking for deer. 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.". Cougars need areas without humans because they do not like to be around humans and humans kill them (intentionally and unintentionally). Find Easton area news on Facebook. Remember this post from February 28, 2005. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Coyotes are much smaller, and they have shorter fluffier tails, a pointed face, and large triangular ears. Tumble drying clothes for 10 minutes will kill ticks. The Florida panther reached a population low of 20-30 individuals in 1970s, and currently are between 120-200 sub-adults and adults. Cars and car tires are also good scales; a cougar will be half the length of a sedan and taller than its tires. 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. There are more squirrels in Pa than Mountain Lions, but not by a lot. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; Bears tend to be shy and want to avoid contact with people, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. An attack on a 4-year-old near San Diego is just the latest in a string of mountain lion attacks in California. 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. (Image via the National Park Service)(), By Jason Nark | The Philadelphia Inquirer. 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. 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 fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. If a cougar were to make it to Pennsylvania, it is illegal to harm. A walking house cat or raccoon would likely fit within the diameter of the tree. Cover Image: A cougar in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photo credit: Michigan DNR). Seventy to 80 percent of victims develop a rash. If you're bitten by a venomous snake, dial 911 immediately and seek medical attention. "I kind of doubt they saw a cougar, but I'm not God.". A friend sent this to me. http://www.buckmanager.com/2009/04/17/deer-management-and-some-thoughts-on-predator-control/, Just posted if looked like this size 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. Bobcats are much smaller, only two to three feet long (head to tail) and one to two feet high at the shoulder. Upperparts are grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon tawny, or rufous. 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. "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. 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. Please enter your email address below to create account. Their conclusion: Sir, you dont have a mountain lion. A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. This was yesterday around 5pm 11/6/19. Sounded like a giant animal was sprinting down the mountain right before we saw it. "I hear rumors all the time about mountain lion sightings," said Brian Anderson, deputy game protector for Northumberland County. I have seen Bobcats. Florida panther population estimate updated. Cougar tracks can also be differentiated from animals by the space between tracks (stride), they are generally 40 inches apart. The easiest way toavoid Lyme disease is to avoid ticks altogether. Jones has never seen a mountain lion, but he thinks they're prowling around. One came to her as the result of an owner's divorce. You know, the Penn State Nittany Lions.". A recent rumor of a cougar killed by a vehicle on Interstate 80 attracted some attention at Penn State. . The bite usually results in a blister-like sore that can take six to eight weeks to heal. "Also, pretty sure there is color variation in a bobcats fur color, so what Im thinking is a good-sized, tawny colored bobcat.".