Mysterious big cat caught on security camera in Clarks Summit, Pa. In July and August I received seven different reports, and everyone involved had done a search of some type to compare images of bobcats and pumas. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania - Hoot Hollow The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Some may also be kept illicitly as pets, which would quickly become a problem as the cat matures. Wyoming has a historically stable population of mountain lions, but recent drops in numbers have caused some to worry. This ideal habitat allows for a large population of 2,000 mountain lions to thrive. Among those who have investigated the primeval times of the Pocono Plateau and Delaware River valleys and tributaries was the late Vernon Leslie, Ph.D., a Wayne County historian and archaeologist. 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. Let me explain this. This one streaked across the road in the early evening, and fortunately, it stopped when it climbed a hill on the other side where I had another view from my side of the truck. The bones were found perfectly preserved. "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. When I first discovered this fresh carcass I examined it for throat punctures, thinking that it may have been killed by a puma. 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. Penn State's Nittany Lion hide sampled for DNA sequencing, Mountain lion reports in Pennsylvania popular, but often a hoax, More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Good luck, and let me know! This animal was undoubtedly a bobcat. Although size can be difficult to determine in the field, a puma will be three or four times larger than a bobcat. 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. a high priority. Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several Archived Questions of the Month The photographer had no reason to stage the shot -- indeed, the composition and background was terrible, and not what you'd expect for something staged, but the shot wasn't perfectly clear. This happens usually around the 18-month mark. Erosion from glacial melt and violence glaciers did to the land left a. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. Have some feedback for us? Did they migrate south from Canada? Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? 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.). I've never seen or heard of a verified black puma anywhere, whether wild or captive, so I'd be inclined to dismiss reports of truly black big cats as misidentifications, even when a group of guys all see the same thing. 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. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. Let me know if you have seen one! I receive about one email or phone call a month, on average, from people that I do not know who are contacting me because their sighting compelled them to do a Google search on puma sightings, and they found my site and previously posted questions. One of the three branches or clans of the Lenape Tribe at the end of the 17th century was known as the Wolf (Minsi). All of these forests are, with few exceptions, open to hunting, and hunting is a very important industry in Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Two weeks ago, a friend of mine who teaches in one of the Monroe County school districts called to tell me he was sending me a photo of a mountain lion taken by one of his students in the Poconos. 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. Check out our online field guide to read more in this series. 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 last documented sighting of an eastern cougar was one killed in Maine in 1938. In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. I've done this myself once, in Tanzania, when I saw a black house cat that I thought was a black leopard! 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. Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. 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. One of these days, though, I'll get one that won't be, and I hope that will be soon. Noted Wayne County historian Phineas Goodrich recorded in his 1880 book on local history that the common gray wolf was much more common in this area than the cougar. In some areas, entire populations of a species exhibit this trait, for unlike albinism, which results in a conspicuous white color and light-sensitive pink eyes, there are no ill effects with melanism. Instead, the person usually pauses, sometimes with a sheepish or embarrassed expression on his face, and seems reluctant to continue. Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. Are There Mountain Lions In Pa? - CLJ Most, quite honestly, don't know or can't believe or accept what they saw, they really can't believe their eyes. There are controlled hunting laws in the state of Oregon. Currently, there are only 15 states that meet that qualification. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions. Are the various States guilty of essentially the same thing? More conclusive evidence is needed: Keep your cameras handy. They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Biologists traced it. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. "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. Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions - AZ Animals Illinois can also now be added to this list a mountain lion was found on the outskirts of Chicago. At one time mountain lions, or more properly puma (Puma concolor), enjoyed the widest geographic range of any New World mammal, and were found throughout all of the contiguous United States. With that hope in mind, I have, for years, asked outdoors people if they ever heard of a mountain lion, or puma, in their area -- with my questioning limited to people in my home state of Pennsylvania. Obviously, other pumas must be about, and the series of ridges extending north and east and west from my location could all be included as critical habitat as well. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles. Bobcats, feral cats and domestic dogs may be misidentified as mountain lion. This is only hearsay, however, since I'm only going on their stories. The agency has declared extinct the eastern cougar, one of 11 subspecies ofmountain lions native to North America. Over 1,100 people follow her page. The Bushkill Falls are a series of eight waterfalls in a 300-acre wooded enclave hidden amongst the Poconos. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? 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. The 2,400-square-mile area has long been a popular outdoor recreation area boasting hunting, fishing, skiing, and more. Consider that the endangered Florida puma has mixed genes. Officially extinct, mountain lions still haunt the Adirondacks Mountain lions can live in almost any habitat including forests, prairies, deserts, and swamps. Nevertheless, I put up a MOULTRIE game camera -- a brand that I've had tremendous satisfaction with -- at the carcass, hoping that scavengers would visit. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is almost safe to say that the panther has in these parts become extinct, Goodrich wrote. At one time this fact almost resulted in this cat not being protected, since it wasn't a pure strain. The Pocono Mountains are . In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. Would my mountain ridge be declared 'Critical Habitat' for the puma? They regularly join the camp of those angrily claiming the commission has introduced the big cats back into Pennsylvania as a control measure against the state's huge deer population. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. 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. Pocono Mountains - Travel guide at Wikivoyage But this one was black, and he knows mountain lions are some variant of brown. An assessment list for Lower Smithfield Township in 1761 when it was part of Northampton County (Monroe having not yet been created) taxed "three pence per pound and shillings per head" laid on the land and inhabitants. "They're getting a lot of that out west. Like Arizona, New Mexico is the perfect home for mountain lions. Editor's note: The Pocono Record and Tri-County Independent have collaborated for a series of stories called Mountain Beasts: Pocono cryptids, legends and lore. Mountain lions, Goodrich wrote, were more dreaded than wolves as the cat could climb over any fence that could be built. The Game Commission concluded they were coyotes. Luxury Cabin Rentals: Pocono Mountain Getaways | Glamping Hub Transient males have been sighted as far east as New York! 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.
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