Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information. There was a problem saving your notification. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. I will say I've received reports from all around the state but several of the reports seem to be in the same area: West Milford in the northern part of the state. My 11-year-old son was in front of me about 50 feet. If you need assistance, please contact the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Open MF, 8 a.m.4 p.m. (closed noon12:30 for lunch). One said his father swore he had seen one, and their guess was it was an escapee from Great Adventure. Even though the WV DNR says there are no wild mountain lions in the state, there are some held in captivity at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek. Body coloration can range from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown spots. We contacted the Somerset County Park department who assured us that there are no mountain lions in their parks. In this video we discuss why we have reached our conclusion as well as explaining some natural history about this species.For more information please check out our in depth write up on the subject http://www.susquehannockwildlife.org/2018/06/10/fallstoncougar/#cougar #mountainlion #housecat #harfordcounty #maryland ), So, while the state of New Jersey says "there are no mountain lions in New Jersey," there are a lot of people who would beg to differ. Since 1890 in the U.S. and Canada, there have been 100 attacks on humans at all, according to the research organization The Cougar Network. There are only quick sightings around town of the large cat known as the mountain lion. Our eyes locked and we were both motionless. Search for cougars continues in Pennsylvania. Weight. California has one of the largest mountain lion populations in the country. Therres says the last of Marylands natural cougar populations disappeared in the late 1800s, probably due to the lack of the cats favorite food: venison. I told some people but Im not sure anyone believed me. If your state is not . Turkey vultures return to Ohio a sure harbinger of the coming spring? The woman reported seeing the animal along a path around 3 p.m. She told U.S. Park Police it was tall enough to come up to her waist, but didn't seem aggressive. (DS says her sighting was from earlier this summer.). Two years ago I was fishing the Wanaque reservoir and came across tracks I had never seen before. The Washington Times - September 25, 2008, 01:00PM, Washington Commanders team name and logo reveal from Fedex Field, Scenes from snow storm that hit Washington, Warriors wanted: Army Green Beret training. -Anyone bitten by a mountain lion must immediately seek medical attention for rabies shots unless the biting animal can be captured and tested for rabies. Click here to login. "She was hesitant to report it because she thought people wouldn't believe her," Lefleche told the paper. 24K views 4 years ago #cougar #mountainlion #maryland On May 31, 2018 an interesting video of an animal walking across a field was captured in the Fallston area of Harford County, Maryland. Females are typically smaller. I was leaving Westville towards the mall. They are also known as pumas, cougars and panthers. What drew me to it was the seeming paws. February 12. The report stated that a woman spotted a mountain lion in Greenbelt. Big cats suffered the same fate all over the East Coast except in Florida, where a small, endangered group of panthers still roams the Everglades. From JK:I had a mountain lion bounding across Weldon Road Jefferson Township Morris County about 75 yards in front of me. In the spray field which is leased to a local farmer, I was driving the roadway down to another building on our site and saw slinking quite quickly a large deer-colored cat with a body close to 4 ft long and a tail about the same length. The MLRT has investigates hundreds of mountain lion reports, but most reported sightings and tracks turn out to be bobcats or large dogs. We were traveling south on 23 right by Canistear road in West Milford. And, if. Mountain Lions have a status of extirpated in Alabama, there have been no confirmed sightings in the state in over 50 years. The next thing we see is this cat. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but l have since never taken that ride. Now man is encroaching into more remote parts of the state, forcing the cougars out of their hiding places, Mr. Lutz says. Some of these photos have taken on urban legend status. Saw one in Warren County in 2007 & 2008 while camping. . Mistaken reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts are most commonly bobcats, the state said. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Very interesting piece. From C:About 15 years ago we were on our motorcycles riding around Delaware NJ by the Gap we went on a gravel road came to a bridge we couldn't cross turned around driving real slow cause we all had Harleys I kept like 10 bike lengths between us because of the dust kicking up and right in front of me crossed a mountain lion no more than 10 feet away from me no way I was mistaken. But that was definitely what it was. It was ENORMOUS! Admission is $6 for ages 16 and over, $2 for kids 6 to 15 years old, and free for . I called it in and was told there are no mountain lions in NJ. I feel vindicated. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great . Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but I do know that there are mountain lions - or at least one lion - in the area. It definitely wasn't a bobcat or a coyote, as I do know what they look like. Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th. ". Last year he recorded 11 cougar sightings in Maryland, 38 in Pennsylvania and six in Virginia. White-tailed deer are the most abundant large animals in the park. From PD: Read your article about mountain lions in NJ. MassWildlife receives dozens of reportsa year, most are simplyreportsor sightings with no evidence. GREENBELT, Md. However, deer in the park are normally about 100 lbs. There is also a small population in southern Florida. Then, a gentleman who worked in our IT department said, I believe you. Then he realized from the length of its tail and the shape of its body that it was a mountain lion. There has only been 1 confirmed mountain lion sighting on the coastal side of I5 since around the 1970's or 80's, that info can be confirmed with any local park ranger. The buzzards returned in late February, and Steve Pollick says you can mark your calendar by these scavengers exploits. Hunters do not stumble across the remains of dead mountain lions in the woods, he says. As it was running I noticed that it was way too large and had a large tail. Although they're not often seen walking. The report stated that a woman spotted a mountain lion in Greenbelt Park, WUSA9 confirmed Tuesday. This program continued in Arizona until roughly fifty years ago. It was at least four feet long and had a tail just as long. ", "Oh," said the officer, "then it isn't a mountain lion. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. AFGFD said the data suggest the statewide population of mountain lions is stable to increasing, with an annual population estimate at 2,876 animals since 2004. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Straw says. One can easily imagine that they might decide to not report the loss. One neighbor described the creature as larger and wider than a deer, with the long tail of a cat. (WJZ) -- A reported mountain lion sighting in a Prince George's County park turned out to be a coyote. The Fort Worth Star-Telegraph reports on a mountain lion sighting in April 2022. In this video we discuss why we have reached our conclusion as well as explaining some natural history about this species. ", With its long tail and sleek, cat-like body, the animal was unquestionably a mountain lion, Mrs. Vanosnabrugge says. All rights reserved. You have permission to edit this article. Well, that latest story has exploded, going viral and being shared all across the state. I didnt believe her until the security department showed me the security camera footage and there it was about a 30 or 40-pound mountain lion walking passed the security lights. May 2015: Laclede We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Mountain lions have a long tail that is usually darker colored at the tip. Another sighting involved a wild cougar that traveled through New York as it trekked nearly 1,800 miles east from its native population in South Dakota. Purported mountain lion sighting causes stir FALLING WATERS Fliers and a plywood sign warning of purported sightings of a mountain lion near the area where two miniature horses and a donkey were killed in recent animal attacks caused a stir for local residents Tuesday, but authorities say there's no definitive indication such an animal is in the area. Arizona mountain lion tags are available over-the-counter or can be purchased by mail for $15 to Arizona locals. Sightings are certainly nothing new in Maryland. There were five yearling animals, four 2-year-old animals, two 3-year-olds and five 4-year-olds. adroll_current_page = "other"; A mountain lion, seen above, was sighted on Ash Street in Webster Sunday. Further, it is already illegal to kill a mountain lion in Massachusetts. POCATELLOMountain lions are being sighted throughout Pocatello, according to official reports and social media posts from local residents. Among them was a forestry technician who came across a female cougar nursing two cubs in remote part of the Thomas Jefferson National Forest. The Pa. Game Commission investigated this picture. It then, whew, calmly walked into the brush towards the Oswego River. Citizen reported a mountain lion jumped through a fence and sent in hairs suspected to be from the lion. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. Yet this young male traveled about 1,800 miles. Big Tech minions could compromise Americas Intelligence community. Truly terrifying encounter even compared to a bear. People say that when they closed it down some of the animals were released into the woods around here. I knew It wasnt a bear or wolf. Then in late August, a woman reported seeing a mountain lion on her drive between Millville and Avalon. Mountain lions are helpful in maintaining order in our ecosystem and assist to keep other wildlife numbers in check. Use this button to show and access all levels. adroll_adv_id = "T6XR4YM2C5FGXNZIDZPFXI"; It had a small animal hanging from its mouth. If mountain lions returned to Massachusetts, there is no need to update current forest management practices. While the initial video got all of the attention, Soto posted a second video, too, showing a pack of hounds looking for scent in the area when the lion was sighted. In Maryland, what inquiring minds want to know is whether big cats are prowling suburbia. I posted my sighting on a neighborhood social media site, and of course, many did not believe me and said they don't exist here in NJ; however, a number of people also chimed in that they have seen one here or there in different locations not far from me. reads. I knew it wasn't a dog - and it wasn't a bobcat. From SS:Some years ago we were on our way home from my sister-in-laws house burning. Trump plans to abolish U.S. Education Department if elected, Trump won't commit to the Republican National Committee's loyalty pledge, New Jersey woman blows up house, killing herself and her cats, rather than comply with eviction, Nancy Pelosi criticizes Joe Biden admin over handling of D.C. crime bill, Trump promises GOP will never again be led by 'freaks, neocons, globalists, open borders zealots', Copyright 2023 The Washington Times, LLC .it walked right out downwind of us and broadside to both of us at 25 yards or so. MassWildlifecannot investigate or confirm mountain lion reports without any evidence. 13507065_10205364039255335_8657515368052999240_n.jpg. See Alex Hunter's Sigma Delta Chi award-winning editorial cartoons. It turned and saw us. It is difficult to know if someone saw a mountain lion without any tangible evidence. . It was at the edge of the woods and it looked like it was just after a kill. Rags to riches: Stars who were once homeless, Nowhere to hide: US military's portable anti-material weapons, Semper Fi: Famous people you didnt know were U.S. Marines, Fire from the clouds: US military close air support, Beauty and brains: Smartest female celebrities, Fastest combat planes in the US Air Force, Pence fails to see nuance in Ukraine war, sides with military-industrial complex. The last confirmed records of the Eastern Cougar's existence were in 1938 in Maine. 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. Laugh all you want, but Agnes Muhl has no doubts about what she, her husband and her mother saw in the front yard of their Thurmont vacation home eight years ago. This occurred in the spring of 2017. It was a rumor that State Fish and game stocked mountain lions to take care of it, to this day they deny it but I dont doubt they did. My house, which is located in Hewitt, NJ (West Milford township), faces the woods, which is actually the edge of Wawayanda State Park. People even report House Cats as mountain lions in a surprising number of cases. CAPTAIN COOK, Hawaii (KITV4) -- A possible big cat sighting is being investigated on the Big Island. They can weigh between 50-300 lbs. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Lefleche told the Telegram and Gazette that Ford's sighting seems credible. Over a period of a year and a half, this mountain lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. We do get photos/videos sent to us claiming to have witnessed a mountain lion but it is almost always a bobcat or sometimes even a house cat. To visit any of the states for which we have already compiled information, click on the states listed below. Tracking experts Paul Rezendes, Charles Worsham, George Leoniak, and Dr. Mark Elbroch examined the photos. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Are there mountain lions in Massachusetts?, is. In Zone J, area 24A, which is close to the border of Graham and Gila counties, a 2-year-old lion, a 3-year-old lion and one of indeterminate age were killed in 2021. Some restrictions apply. They are here. The mountain lion was about 50 yards to the left of my house and was walking up the side of the mountain. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. MLRT confirmed using the photos and other sign. Lioneither a young one or a female I figured..went home, called NJF&G at the time, and reported it.. asked if they were interested in setting a culvert-type trap to capture it.they seemed pretty disinterested at the time, said it wasn't feasible as we were in a residential type area.. the day after with fresh snow on the ground we returned to find where it had stalked and killed a wild turkey.it was obvious to us with the winged slash marks still in the snow and where it walked downhill with the turkey in its mouth pushing the snow to the sides of it making a smooth pathway..it was something my son and I will never forget. 3600 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002. I am sincerely amazed at the number of emails I continue to receive about mountain lion or cougar sightings in New Jersey. We are both members of the Walpack Historical Society. Updated: Jul. Forget Big Foot or the Loch Ness monster. Some kitty this is!An outfit known as the Cougar Network (www.easterncougarnet.org) tracks cougar sightings all over the various states where cougar populations are not known to exist. The animals, which weight between 90 and 160 pounds and range over a large territory for food, have not left tracks that could be verified by wildlife experts. Washington Times, SCORES & OUTDOORS: Reported sightings of mountain lions on , Mountain Lions in Michigan: 10 Sightings So Far This Year , Search for cougars continues in Pennsylvania Outdoornews. Photo courtesy of Mountain Lion Foundation. All rights reserved (About Us). When I got up to where I think it was it was gone and to me, if it was a bear well bears don't have tails and two to me a bear would kind of struggle to get into the woods and lose stamina after a certain point maybe this thing it ran it took off and didn't look back. The Connecticut mountain lion is the best documented wild Mountain Lion in New England. At first, I wasn't sure what I was seeing since I never expected to see a mountain lion, as we mostly see turkeys and other birds behind our house, or an occasional bear, deer, or fox. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them. This is especially true of western Maryland. Both labs confirmed the sample came from a mountain lion. Because you will never go out of your house at night. It was about 6 or 7 years ago. Over a period of a year and a half, this mountain lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. However, he did say (off the record) that he believed us - he was a hunter and had seen evidence of them in and around our area of the state. An adult male mountain lion can have a home range greater than 100 square miles. There was no question as to what it was, with its coloring and long tail. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. MONTEREY There are no photos. I was sitting on my front porch and I saw a very large animal at first I thought big fox. I dont doubt that womans experience in South Jersey one little bit! From ER:Many years ago - back in late 2012 I was preparing a yard sale with my youngest daughter (she was 12 at the time) on our driveway in Ringwood, NJ. Rt 206/Lamington Rd. One late afternoon on my way back home I, unfortunately, saw one dead in the middle of 287 on the southbound lane approximately around the exits near Delaware water gap (between 53 and 36) I was in the lane closest to it, was driving slow enough past it and got a clear long look at it, it was clearly a giant beige cat with a long tail. Mrs. Muhl isn't alone. "Other than two confirmed cases, all reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts that include tangible evidence have turned out to be other kinds of animals," a post by the state department of Energy and Environmental Affairs called "Are there Mountain Lions in Massachusetts?" There was an animal that ran very quickly across the road and we both said that it looked like a mountain lion. I had my head tilted to the side sitting in the backseat with my daughter and I saw a very large cat jump clear across Route 23. Please do not include personal or contact information. JustBe Farm is the passion project of both Kate and Ray, two South Jersey locals who wanted a place where they could reconnect busy children, teens, and adults with nature. In the '70s, Jungle Habitat was located here in West Milford. I then said to my friend, oh wow he said what did you see I said no you tell me, he then described that he saw a big brown animal with a little face and a big tail in a different color brown than the deer, I then told him I saw it as well and it was a cougar he thought I was crazy for saying that and then I showed him an article where someone had just seen it at Burnham Park in Morristown a week or so before that was only a few miles away. When evidence is submitted, MassWildlife carefully reviews the evidence in its entirety and attempts to verify the report. July 31, 2018 / 4:17 PM Please use caution. Coyotes have also been mistaken for Mountain Lions. On a side note, I've been out near West Virginia and the western parts of both Maryland and Virginia enough to know that it is a commonly held belief that mountain lions still exist 'round those parts. I had made calls to many different agencies and either I was told I was wrong or no one would return my calls. All other reports of mountain lions in Massachusetts have turned out to be other animals. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. On May 31, 2018 an interesting video of an animal walking across a field was captured in the Fallston area of Harford County, Maryland during a foggy morning by Dan Jones. He caught the animal in his headlights and, at first, thought it was a large Labrador retriever. The network doesnt believe phone callers, such as the ones the Maryland DNR hears of a large cat the size of a German shepherd or larger dog walking down the trail.Youve got to do better than that, says the Cougar Networks professional big-cat specialists. From HR:I saw a MountainLion in the fall of 2017 in Bedminster/Far Hills NJ while driving south on Rt 206/Lamington Rd. I had seen a police officer in the parking lot at the mall and told him what I saw. Males grow antlers which fall off each winter and grow back in the summer. There are, after all, wild mountain lions not zoo specimens in Florida. Evidence could include the body of a dead mountain lion or a live wild-captured animal; photos or video, in which a mountain lion can be identified and MassWildlife can confirm the location; DNA evidence from hair, scat, etc. Pittstown resident scared to death last summer outside my house when I went to go feed my donkeys. State law protects all species unless otherwise noted. Create a password that only you will remember. Straw says. Genetic analyses confirmed the hair was from a male mountain lion and the propbable population of origin was Colorado. A regional wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources' Forest, Park and Wildlife Service, he says mountain lions were hunted into extinction by the people who settled Maryland. Definitely, a mountain lion after I googled the print.Some years ago there was a really bad coyote problem at the Wawayanda State Park. The cat, which she believes is a mountain lion, ran off into some nearby woods. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. Residents, especially those in the Rio Vista and Mather Road areas, are reminded to keep pets inside at night, use motion sensor lights to help discourage mountain lions from using their yards, and to let Fish and Game know if they observe a mountain lion. They are here! I live in Holland Township NJ. None of the rumors are true. Eastern Arizona Courier 301 E Highway 70, Suite A, Safford, AZ 85546 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | The EASTERN ARIZONA COURIER is owned by Wick Communications. Animal control officers say they are taking the reports seriously. From RD:I live in Cumberland in Maurice River township. I was told to call animal control. ), I have no agenda in this. "It was a cougar," insists the 57-year-old Catonsville woman. There have been at least two other sightings in the same area. There is no proof. Possible Mountain Lion Sighting in D.C. Wildlife officers searching for the creature By Michelle Tetu Published October 28, 2011 Updated on October 31, 2011 at 6:09 am It was bloody and the hair was a mess around its head. In my moment of "fear" - I called the non-emergent police number They sent an officer out and we told him what we had seen. In the interest of gathering credible mountain lion sightings when mountain lions actually arrive in the east the research team here at eMammal has put together a guide to identifying mountain lions. McCarter sent a sample to Dr. George Amato of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York and Dr. Melanie Culver of the University of Maryland. However, one must assume that it actually could happen. "As always, you should be diligent and cautious with your pets.". Nowadays, many reports include photographic evidence, thanks to camera phones and trail cameras. Hikers saw a mountain lion walking along a hiking trail as it was hunting a deer in Big Bend National Park, Texas. Courtesy photo Mike Jacobsen was checking his fences near Denton after last month's windstorm when his kids pulled. Maryland - There have been many sightings of mountain lions and a lot of debate about the existence of mountain lions in Maryland. Information gathered from AZFGD and the Arizona Mountain Lion Foundation, Hunters who dont want to miss getting their spring 2023 tag should take the time now to update their credit card information with the Arizona. That story prompted others to reach out to me about their sightings. The youngest was less than 1-year-old. "They were nearly exterminated by the early 1900s, but they retreated into the wild.". I do have footprint pics in snow from Califon definitely not your usual coyote. Over the past 25 years, dozens of Maryland residents have reported cougar encounters, even though wildlife officials insist that mountain lions haven't roamed the state for at least a century. The young adult male was killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011. The friend showed the photograph to a Baltimore County animal control officer and asked him to identify the animal. The mountain lion was lying down in the snow. The oldest tooth-aged mountain lion tagged in 2021 was 10. I mentioned it to several coworkers and nobody believed me! I wish I had turned around and taken photos but, where it was located, it would have taken me too long. And so does the state. I know bobcats and it definitely wasnt one especially having a 3+ foot tail that was quite thick. My husband also sighted one while driving to go hunting many years ago in Wawayanda State Park. 75-170 pounds. In Zone K, which includes areas 1 and 27 and covers some of Graham and Greenlee counties, 17 lions were killed in 2021. Officials are asking that people avoid the park as they investigate the report. A person I lost touch with is also convinced they are around the northwest part of Somerset county he was hunting somewhere near Raritan valley community college and photographed a giant paw print in the snow that was clearly a cougar print. Mountain lions also were reportedly sighted in Cape St. Claire in 1969, Kingsville in 1971 and several areas of Prince George's County in 1988. At the time I think my daughter was about five. The West Virginia Wildlife Center is open to the public seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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