are there mountain lions in the poconos are there mountain lions in the poconos

And yet today the debate continues: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) also reports evidence that humans arrived during the last glaciation or soon after. 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. Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. Pocono Record's Micaela Hood moves on to Lehigh Valley Public Media There is a small breeding population in the state, despite being killed off in the 1920s. These cubs are born blind and helpless. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. Mountain Lion Habitat in Tennessee - ArcGIS StoryMaps Pa Mountain lion, cougar, or big cat in bucks county Pennsylvania Is it the New Best Pack? Still, people say they know what they saw out there. I used to archery hunt for deer, and I spent a lot of time (way too much time) sitting silently in a tree stand waiting for deer. Would a puma then qualify as a native species? The head of the puma is small in comparision to a house cat when compared to the entire body. For information on predator tracks, check out this guide: https://www.wildliferemoval.com/animal-track-identification-guide/, Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. 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. 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. There is a big community of mountain lion enthusiasts across the Northeast convinced that the animals still exist in breeding populations. During this time, male mountain lions will travel in search of females. In the forests of Kenya, however, they do occur. And a bit of an unpleasant one at that, as they now faced ridicule or doubt whenever they discussed their sightings. 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. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Suppose, instead of declaring the puma, or Eastern mountain lion, extinct, the USFWS actually recognized the existence of the cat as a wild, breeding species. An article in last year's New York State Conservationist magazine about mountain lions concluded that none exists in that state, even in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Mountain wilderness. It's sort of like big foot, some people say they've seen him.". More Questions about Pumas in Pennsylvania Lions in the Santa Monica Mountains - National Park Service The last known mountain lion in Pennsylvania was killed in Berks County in 1874. I Googled "Pocono mountain lion" and there it was the same photo, except the caption claimed that it was taken in Oklahoma, not Pennsylvania, and various posted comments asserted that the photo was manipulated. 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. the more visible white on the chest, the lack of spots, the huge hind quarters. 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. The skeleton was reassembled at the State Museum, where it has been on display ever since. Bigfoot, mountain lions and other cryptids in PA Big cats in Pennsylvania: mountain lions or bobcats? - Pocono Record Would my mountain ridge be declared 'Critical Habitat' for the puma? If so, what would happen to the hunting industry in all of these states? You've got a mountain lion story or photo? "We should be getting more pictures. Mountain lions have an interesting life cycle that consists of a few different characteristics. It is an Italianate Villa home that features authentic Victorian furniture and finishing. This is actually a good thing, as genetic isolation generally weakens a species. A phantom creature has been sighted in the vast Delaware State Forest region of Pike County. This will be one of your best identification marks, along with size. What the Lenape Indians never did, the European colonists and their descendants did swiftly eradicate the wolf and cougars viewed as a menace to their families and livestock. And, some may be escaped or illegally released pets. The Pocono Mountains, commonly referred to as the Poconos / p o k n o z /, are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania.They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. Mountain Lion Population (In Each U.S. State) - Wildlife Informer In 2015, a Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed near the site where the mastodon was found. What is the Kiboko backpack? The mountain lion is a large, slender cat, with a long rope-like tail. 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. Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. I don't believe someone's imagination could stretch a six inch long tail to three feet! This animal was undoubtedly a bobcat. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Apparently, this picture was really making the rounds. Would these ridges be declared off-limits for hunting? Recently, a man I spoke with told me that he was reminded of a sighting he and two friends had 20 years earlier, and after recalling the incident he was motivated to call his college buddies and reflect on their observation. If you see a puma (mountain lion-cougar), contact me. And this genetic mix has been recognized, and the Florida puma is still protected. 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. What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? "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. Claws 'N' Paws Animal Park in Lake Ariel has two. 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. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. A Game Commission vehicle was there, and the Fed Ex driver, after reaching the bottom of a long hill, turned back to check on what he saw. Hopefully, we'll see the real thing. Things to Do in the Poconos | Attractions & Outdoors - Pocono Mountains "It was in Worthington State Forest just across the Delaware River from Smithfield Beach). "From people that I trust have had visual sightings, they've seen mountain lions.". I wanted to know if they're here, so I called some people I trust and asked them one simple question: Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania? With that in mind, lets break down how we classified the states. Check out our online field guide to read more in this series. If you're interested in this, please pass on this link, and if you see a cat, please let me know! You be the judge. I don't know if a Game Commission authority has actually said this or not, but people I've spoken to have reported this. The State argues that there is no physical evidence, and no credible photographs. a high priority. The next day, another friend, who works for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, called me to ask if I had seen the photo of a Pocono mountain lion with a deer in its jaws. One man, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania, had seen one, at night, about 25 years ago. A law was passed March 10, 1806, requiring the county to pay the person producing the scalp of a full-grown wolf or cougar, $8, and for the scalp of a young whelp or cub, $4. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are no wild, breeding cougar populations in this state anymore. Sadly, the hunting guidelines for cougars in Idaho are lax, with 400-600 cats being killed each year. There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. Accounts abound concerning interaction between these great beasts and people in northeast Pennsylvania, with wolves into the early 19th century and in the case with cougars, well into the early 20th century. A dark brown puma, backlighted by a strong sun, could appear all black, or very dark, and he accepted that. 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. 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. Pocono Record sports writer Mike Kuhns wrote a great piece on Oct. 14, "Does the mountain lion roam PA?" That's true. Kross only saw the animal for a second, but it made a believer out of him. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. The story behind our new web site. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. A recent alleged sighting in South Abington Township, Lackawanna County, had Facebook groups abuzz. Some experts predict that this wide-ranging predator, which can travel 600 miles in search of a territory, will surely reach our eastern states sometime in the next few decades. In personal contacts, that monthly average might even be higher. I have received about two dozen reports during that time, including one game camera image that still looks very credible to me. Most of my original Questions of the Month for the last several They once inhabited the entire United States, but were killed off and pushed west. Joseph Pugliese 2.2K views 7 years ago Beautiful Bobcat in our yard as our. 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. 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). These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. What does a Puma (Mountain Lion) look like on a Game Camera? By the mid-1900s pumas were eliminated from almost all of the eastern states, and by mid-century were officially extinct east of the Mississippi, except for a remnant population in southern Florida. Flying over the area, I've looked down and commented upon the amount of habitat that would be available for a puma, if only they existed. 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. Only when I reviewed the images on my laptop did I discover that I had a mountain lion! Remember, this one was photographed in Arizona in good puma country, although this was the first one I've recorded there. The rounded ears, She also houses a bobcat named Nia she took in from a couple who couldn't handle her. 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. Here, they've not been," Lau said in an e-mail. Knowing that pumas range widely, would my ridge be the only one closed? Local outlets carried reports of cougar encounters at least into the 1910s. Everyone else, when reporting, were frustrated as they were told they had seen a bobcat. "Likewise, I'm not aware of any escapes from captive facilities in my time here. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. And yes, there are people in Pennsylvania who say they exist here. Caribou remains, dated by radiocarbon in excess of 10,000 B.C. "It's fall bow-hunting season soon," he said. Armand Martinelli isn't only the mayor of East Stroudsburg, he's also a hunter who is connected with plenty of people in the area. Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. 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. But no one that I've communicated with had these preconceptions, and seeing what they saw was a complete surprise. 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." Mountain Lions in Pennsylvania? Check out the tails of the two! Features Writer Micaela Hood is signing off with the Pocono Record after five years of covering arts, culture, entertainment and sports in northeastern . Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Both sheep and young cattle fell prey to wolves, unless they were under constant watch. Mountain lion sightings could indicate its comeback to Pa. 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. When he told me this, he commented on how an experience like the one he and his friends had just is not forgotten. 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 placard affixed to the fence outside Rocky's pen states that "cougars are solitary creatures and rarely seen by humans." Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. "Given the period of time that has passed without verification of even a single eastern puma, the service concludes that the last remaining members of this subspecies perished decades ago," the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a Federal Register notice. People can manipulate, enhance or combine photos and then create their own stories about the subject's origin, location and even identification. Why do I advocate manual exposure so avidly? Are there Mountain Lions (Pumas, Cougars) in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic States? What does a Mountain Lion look like on a game camera? I asked our Game officials about evidence, and they cite no road kills. What equipment do we take in the field? "With all of that said, though, there's a general lack of evidence of mountain lions in Pennsylvania. The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. They often would catch sheep in broad daylight. This is not a Pennsylvania puma! Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included. Recently the US Fish and Wildlife Service formally declared the Eastern Puma an extinct species, except for the remnant population in Florida. One of the important things for any animal is a place to call home. Mt Lions in WV, NY, and PA - Hoot Hollow However, recently I saw a photo of a melanistic bobcat, as black as could be, with bright yellow eyes. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is always open to review evidence, but to date only hoaxes have crossed the PGC. Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. I am bothered by the constricted neck of the cat on the game camera; 2. the tail is curved down, rather than up, but it may have been in mid-swing; 3. the goldenrod-appearing flower, and the background of cars, gives a sense of scale and location. Luxury Cabin Rentals: Pocono Mountain Getaways | Glamping Hub I regularly ask hunters and outdoors people if they've ever seen a mountain lion, or know of anyone that has. I believe that the folks that are reporting, in detail, their sightings are faced with a similar situation. All rights reserved (About Us). Here in central Pennsylvania we live on the outskirts of what one puma-tracking website has as almost the high point of sightings, extending from north-central Pennsylvania in a southwestern diagonal that extends into the mountains of West Virginia. They're common in the rural areas of the Lehigh Valley but are moving into more populated areas as evidenced by a 600-pound specimen (pictured) that was tranquilized in March after neighbors in. Mountain lions typically eat about one deer per week, along with other smaller prey as the opportunity arises. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. Mountain lions live almost everywhere in the state of Washington. Are mountain lions on their way to Pennsylvania? An escapee is also possible. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. So, couldn't that same argument apply to pumas in the Northeast? Asa Packer Mansion Jim Thorpe. "The cougars examined in the Northeast in the past 70 years are likely released or escaped captives. Archived Questions of the Month In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! Here are the 15 US States That Have Mountain Lions - AZ Animals I've know of reports since 1973, in Cooke Forest, the heart of a lot of Pa. wilderness. Mountain lions have killed humans in the wild, though sightings and encounters are rare even in the American West and Canada. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Like Rocky, Nia is declawed. 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. Do elk live in Pennsylvania? Have some feedback for us? The large tracts of untouched rocky land and bighorn sheep populations make for pristine mountain lion habitat. "We've been here 45 years and I've probably been told by people at least 100 times that they've seen a cougar or mountain lion," said owner Vince Hall. 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 one cat killed on a highway in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2011. Among other uses, the tax was levied "for destroying wolves, foxes, heads and crows." Just take your pick of all these incredible Pocono lake house rentals or just a Pocono cabin for rent, in luxury of course! 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. The last native mountain lion known to be killed in Pennsylvania is on display in the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Looking for things to do in the Poconos? 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. In captivity mountain, lions can live to be about 20 years old. At the end of the last Ice Age, many animals in Pennsylvania died out. Wishful thinking? The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. Heres What the Data Says. And book one of these Poconos cabins rentals for the best outdoor access to these activities. However, many of my reports were at distances that people knew, and as you look at the images of the puma there really is a big difference in color and shape between a puma and a house cat. Let's see a clear photo, or a carcass or something. No evidence has ever been produced to support those charges. These color morphs are most common in rain forests and jungles.