More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania What you wouldn't expect to find here anymore is a mountain lion. If you see or photograph a puma in the mid-Atlantic states, please email or call me. One sighting I give complete belief in was from a friend who told me a puma crossed right in front of their vehicle, and paused on the berm for a few seconds, at a distant of ten yards or less. The hunting policy of the state may be the cause of the dropping population, and pressure on the Fish and Game Commission has increased. As they get older, the cubs begin to leave the den and explore. The record size for this species is 8 feet, and it probably weighed 15 to 20 pounds, which shows how exaggerated this claim is. All of the above images are of bobcats. A brief look, yes, but no question we saw a coyote. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Both were a threat to the farmer and family who carved a home in the ancient wilderness of the Poconos. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In this at this distant epoch, archaeologists attempt to clear some of the mists and mysteries of prehistoric times. Who knows? Provided by Touchpoints with a fluted projectile point were found near Middletown, Orange County, New York. Over time, cats that had been released in Florida, probably pets that outlived their welcome, bred with the native puma, and their genes mingled, Over the last few years I've done several Questions of the Month regarding Mountain Lions, or Pumas as they should properly be called, in the Mid-Atlantic States and in Pennsylvania. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Who knows? But more importantly, he also said that regardless of color, he saw a big cat, with a tail that looked to be about 4 feet long! It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". 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!' 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. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. Is there a correct position for the upright on a Wimberley actionhead. As the latest hoaxed photo of a mountain lion supposedly killed in Pennsylvania died a slow death on Facebook yesterday, the head of an organization tracking the eastern movements of the big cats was preparing a presentation for a Pennsylvania audience tonight. Most of the native mountain lions live in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, but humans rarely ever see them due to their secretive nature. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. Unless I am only dealing with a lot of delusional people with little judgment, something is out there. This happens usually around the 18-month mark. In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! Mountain lions roamed all of the continent prior to the arrival and westward spread of European settlers, but only the eastern and Florida subspecies were found east of the Mississippi. And how many would let them go, or provide an opportunity for escaping? According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. Fish and Wildlife Service. Yet, except for Florida, which has about 100 of them "Florida panthers"), no eastern state has a verifiable population of these large 100- to 200-pound cats that were extirpated 100 years ago. Currently, there are only 15 states that meet that qualification. They are generally believed to be young cats roaming in search of new breeding territories to claim as their own. That's significant because, in states where mountain lions live, they're often struck by vehicles or otherwise found dead. He wrote that not being a roving animal, the mountain lion was much sooner destroyed than the wolf, and he said that if there were any left, it would have to be in the most desolate places in the county. Good luck, and let me know! One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. I haven't seen any reports like that.". Who knows? Again, I've been told that some Game Commission personnel have admitted that pumas may exist in Pennsylvania, but they rationalize this by saying that the pumas are not breeding and they are not from original wild stock. At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. 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. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. Mountain lions weigh 90-160 pounds, while bobcats weigh 20-30 pounds. Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. I believe that the folks that are reporting, in detail, their sightings are faced with a similar situation. What do I think of the Canon 1D Mark IV? Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. He also noted that if the cat was here, wouldn't they be reproducing and increasing in population by now? I'm thinking of the solution often suggested for pesky endangered species out west, namely wolves and grizzly bears. Very, very rarely, when I ask someone who would be a likely candidate (a hunter, someone who owns a camp in the deep woods, travels likely routes often, foresters), 'Have you ever seen a mountain lion?' What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Geologist Dr. John Yolton made the identification. A second image of the same cat, in a different light, reveals the trademark spots of a bobcat. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. Mountain lions have a lifespan of about 8 to 13 years old in the wild. This is actually a good thing, as genetic isolation generally weakens a species. However, it is clearly a mountain lion, and I'm presenting this poor image as a baseline reference for anyone recording a mountain lion on a game camera, or seeing one. If youve done any research on your own, you may have noticed that we didnt include a lot of states that have had cougar sightings, especially in the last few years. In Pennsylvania, I receive a few reports of black, big cats, which makes one wonder -- are there melanistic (black) pumas out there, or are those sightings always wrong. There are approximately 4,000 of those 10- to 40-pound cats in the state. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. He also published a follow-up on Oct. 15 with the same mountain lion-deer hoax photo, as well as personal stories from several local residents who claim they've seen mountain lions in the Poconos. Imagine my surprise. There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. There isnt an official estimate on mountain lions in the state. Hunters I've spoken with said they've been told you can't kill a puma, which they felt was ironic since the same official told them pumas don't exist in Pa. This is huge news for conservationists around the country and a sign that cougars may be heading east once again. On that note, I was speaking with a Fed Ex driver recently who told me that one of his colleagues had seen what he swore was a dead mountain lion on the side of a road. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Where can I find Depth of Field reference charts? "There hasn't been one solid piece of proof to believe they are here. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? 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. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one. Eyes are normal and are not light sensitive, and the over-all color, generally black, is usually not detrimental and may actually be of benefit. The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. Over the last two years I have occasionally posted a Question of the Month soliciting sightings from people who believed that they have seen a mountain lion in Pennsylvania or in other areas in the mid-Atlantic states. After all, skeptics often suggest that puma sightings are just deer sightings, so it would be logical to worry that a hunter might shoot an endangered puma, mistaking it for a brown deer. Mountain lions, which continue to be reported across Pennsylvania throughout the year, are officially extinct east of the Mississippi River and north of Florida, according to the U.S. It wasn't, and I assumed it was a road-kill. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. Asa Packer Mansion Jim Thorpe. Biologists who investigate these reports claim that several may, indeed, be mountain lions, but most likely they're animals that have escaped from captivity or have been released by their. No projectile points or spearheads were found with the remains, indicating the animal may have died naturally rather than killed by native hunters. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. Hunting is legal in the state, but it is heavily controlled and restricted. Wishful thinking? Are the various States guilty of essentially the same thing? He knows and was familiar with bobcats, and it was not a weird house cat that he and his friends misjudged in size. And again, while they may have been mistaken, they certainly were completely convinced that they had seen a puma. However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. Where they always here as a relic population? The last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. If you can figure out how to travel far back in time for even a day, get lots of wildlife photos, as the rest of us might never believe your story. For example, one man I interviewed said he saw a 'black' puma, and this should disqualify his sighting as a black puma has never been recorded. It will happen eventually. Although in captivity, they can live much longer. I've know of reports since 1973, in Cooke Forest, the heart of a lot of Pa. wilderness. Now consider: If it was confirmed that there was a breeding population of endangered pumas on the mountain ridge behind my house, if the USFWS recognized the existence of this endangered species, what might happen? Thank you for reading! Note the size of the tail, the pointed ears, the speckled coat, the basic lack of white underneath. The mountain lion, which is also called a cougar, puma or panther, weighs on average between 75-120 pounds, has long whiskers and a distinctive swooping tail. Find cabins in the Poconos, PA near places like Bushkill Falls, Camelback Mountain Resort, and more. Let's say the facts indicate that there have been a lot of 'pet' pumas, and many of these escaped. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. No An official form of the United States government. 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. 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. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. However, my friend and I discussed this, and agreed, we saw what we saw, and had it been 40 years ago or four months ago, we knew we saw a coyote. All of the above are Mountain Lions, or Pumas, or Cougars. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. For example, leopards and jaguars, normally spotted cats, have a melanistic color morph, the 'black panther,' the black leopard or black jaguar. I've read a lot about this, and the usual explanation is the very human desire to see something, to see what someone wants to see, and thus these people are seeing bobcats or brown cats or dogs or foxes and, because they 'want' to see a puma, they do. Heres What the Data Says. Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. The Pocono Mountains are located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As you can see from the above images it is very difficult to confuse the two if you have a good view. 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. The agency has declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies ofmountain lions native to North America. Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a great litter of boulders, rocks, clay and lakes covering today's landscape. In the map above, I collected data from the state and on the federal level to find state parks . If there were wild cougars in our midst, the Game Commission also pointed out, eventually there would be solid evidence such as a carcass, scat and paw prints that could be verified. "I kind of doubt they saw a cougar, but I'm not God.". Their are two web sites I know of that dealt with eastern pumas, with the one, the Eastern Puma Research Network, concentrating on sightings in the east. This ideal habitat allows for a large population of 2,000 mountain lions to thrive. The large tracts of untouched rocky land and bighorn sheep populations make for pristine mountain lion habitat. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. Depends on who you talk to, I guess. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. The Bushkill Falls are a series of eight waterfalls in a 300-acre wooded enclave hidden amongst the Poconos. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I love the big cats and devote a huge amount of my field time photographing African lions, leopards, cheetahs, and in 2011, tigers. 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. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. Interesting, too, are the reports I've heard from people who were told that they would be in big trouble if they shot a puma. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? On some investigations, Foster has teamed up with Stacey Griffiths, who started the Central PA Mountain Lion Sightings page earlier this year. There also were camels, sloth and hyena, which migrated elsewhere. It was estimated to be a young adult American Mastodon that had died about 12,000 years ago, according to radiocarbon dating.