The key to Morses assertion can be found in the term breeding population. Although the fact that cougars have traveled through New England is irrefutable (a DNA-confirmed roadkill is hard to deny), Morse believes its unlikely that they have settled here and created a self-sustaining population. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. are larger and heavier than females (60 to 100 lbs.). The last catamount killed in Vermont stands under glass just inside the doors to the Vermont Historical Museum in Montpelier, a hop, skip, and a jump down the block from the statehouse. Yale New Haven Health Check; . Dogos have been DOCUMENTED killing mountain lion / wolf. UConn women's basketball's Dorka Juhsz, Amari DeBerry play 'word sneak' at press conference, Fight breaks out after CT high school basketball game between Bassick, Wilbur Cross, Guide to Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in CT, The Best Bathroom Remodeling Companies in CT, recent mountain lion sightings in Connecticut have not been confirmed, 10 criminal cases to watch in Connecticut in 2023, Haar: Pepperidge Farm HQ to exit CT for NJ with 170 jobs, After 350 years, the name of a CT river could be changed. Mountain Lion Weight: 80-160 pounds Length: About 7-8 feet long Tail: 2-3 feet long (up to half of the total length) Identification The mountain lion is a large, slender cat, with a long rope-like tail. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. The deer dont eat the exotics, but they eat the competitors. Yes I have seen several pictures on game cameras from people in Massachusetts in Central and western Mass that do have mountain lions on their game camera so please dont be ignorant. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. Officially, there are no mountain lions in New England, although there is a good possibility the big cats could be here, Tate said. Police Chief. Apr 20, 2020. Ottmann grew up and still lives just minutes from the tavern; his familiarity with the establishment was obvious (after we met in the parking lot, he led me into the building through the kitchen, greeting each of the staff by name). People like you are the problem and cause of extinctions. However, many of their claimsespecially Mr. Bettys contention of roughly a dozen personal sightings in New Englandare hard to take seriously. No need since so we guess it has moved on from the northeast corner of Connecticut. Several years ago, I was bicycling with a buddy up Quabbin Reservoirs Administration Rd. The main habitat requirement for mountain lions is stalking cover to successfully hunt prey. And the last confirmed sighting prior to the 2011 instance would be a couple hundred years ago, according to Hawley. Thats a reasonable assertion. Adult males can be around 8 feet in length and weigh between 130 and 150 pounds, while adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between 65 and 90 pounds. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. One day I most certainly watched him/her being chased up and down our chain link fence by a neighbors large dog who was barking insanely and couldnt quite catch the cougar, who finally made it away from the fence to escape the determined dog whod had him trapped up against it. Given the long, shared border between these provinces and New England, along with plentiful evidence that other species cross this border regularly, it seems entirely possible that cougars would also engage in international travel. Mountain lions are carnivores (meat eaters) and prey mostly on deer. But sometimes, instead of mountain lions, people thought they saw other creatures in the Connecticut woods, of which authorities were supposedly aware. Mountain lions are solitary animals, traveling alone except during mating season or when a female is supporting young. This article appeared in theNovember 2019issue ofConnecticut Magazine. But you are talking Pacquiao (Pit) vs. Tyson (Dogo) in their prime. We also had bobcats that we saw quite often but I am positive that these were mountain lions! Many, many times, in many different ways along its travel up through Minnesota, Michigan and to Canada, down through New York, through hair samples, blood samples, trail camera photos. But other hard evidence of the big cats presence is elusive. We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. We strolled across the tavern parking lot and ducked into the forest, where Ottmann maintains a portion of his $15,000 worth of wildlife recording equipment (hes had no luck capturing a cougar on camera, though, despite more than a decade of trying). My neighbors have seen several over the last 15-20 years. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. As I turned a corner going north toward Waterbury, I saw the cat come up from the cornfield, saunter across the highway, turn and look in my direction and then amble off into the brush. We witnessed a mountain lion stalking a herd of deer. For decades, wildlife experts should have been seeing occasional scat and paw prints in the winter. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. Theyll say, Hey, you can see in the picture that it has a long tail, and when I look at the picture, I say, I see how you would see that because they way these cats walk, theyll kind of stand and trail their rear leg. Hawley: Yeah. They also have facial ruffs and ear tufts on the tips of their ears, as well as shorter tails. The Spatz and Sue Ottmann referred to are Christopher Spatz and Sue Morse, two of the better-known and arguably most experienced cougar skeptics in the Northeast. I think I may have pissed her off since I was up in that area X2 this week. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. She was calling from a trail in Pootatuck State Forest, the 1,200-acre strip of nature occupying the hills above Squantz Pond in New Fairfield. So yes they are here and not to sure why they dont admit to them being around ! That maybe, just maybe, what my wife and others saw wasnt a bobcat that seemed bigger in the thrill of the moment, but a real, honest-to-goodness mountain lion, a long-lost ghost of the forest. On November 22, about 20 miles north of Rowlett there was another . There is a big difference between Tuesday when none of us saw a moose in our region and then Thursday we did, Morse says. Its distinctive featurethe one that sets it apart from other North American wild catsis its tail, which is thick and often as long as its body. The truth is, I was by this point dubious. One one occasion she had two little ones with her so their den must have been sort of closeby. How to Report a Possible Mountain Lion Sighting. So long as the tails there, that is. Probably because of all the hunters that would be out trying to get their trophy and endangering others. Mountain Lion Sightings in CT Was the animal a pet set free? When we reached tower, a ranger arrived in a pickup. Another possibility is to use the dosdude1 patcher to upgrade the MacBook to Sierra, this being generally possible on any unsupported machines mid-2008 or later. Anyway I got to see that set of eyes way closer than I ever wanted, by the time my hand got on my pistol she was gone. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. Now that USFW has declared them extinct, why not formally reintroduce them. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. Hawley: Wildlife biologists across the United States know where the current mountain lion range is. Morse is a Vermont-based naturalist and the founder of Keeping Track, a nonprofit that trains people in the scientific protocols needed to detect, interpret, record, and monitor wildlife tracks and signs. Working in the 1980s in southern California, where there are cougars, biologist Paul Beier said that 95 percent of cougar sightings they investigated turned out to be misidentifications. It jumped 28 feet across the road. However, Hawley noted that Eastern bobcats tend to have very few spots compared to bobcats that are out west or even in the Midwest. If they have spots, they are typically in the white, underside part of the bodies or on the insides of their legs. Weight. Two mountain lion encounters in his driveway. Humans and wildlife MUST learn to live along side each other and we MUST learn to respect nature. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it,. Yet I also remembered something Sue Morse had told me months before, as we sat in her living room drinking beer and chatting cats. Well, theres no difference between Maine and New Brunswick, anyway, said Betty. The photos were time-stamped December 7, 2020. Hawley, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, says data dont support a breeding population of mountain lions in Connecticut. Fight at end of CT high school basketball game involving Middletown, Weaver second in as many days, How UConn women's basketball forward Amari DeBerry landed on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 plays, Connecticut boys hockey top performers / games to watch (Jan. 17), Goggles? My husband and where riding our Motorcycle down Rte 110 near Milan NH (Throughout history, people have had a deep fear of these creatures, hounding and hunting them mercilessly.) Then saw him a few more times from further away across the road and along the edge sometimes of the woods. Weve got a growing bear population. There are no breeding cougars in New England and we do not need any. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. His mention of these encounters was so matter-of-fact that I found myself nodding along. Wild Turkey Brood Survey A self-defense connoisseur with a large social media presence has ignited a firestorm over his posting of a video showing a mountain lion getting shot in the head. By Cameron Arcand October 3, 2021 at 2:07pm. But honest misidentifications are more common. Also known as 'cougars' or 'pumas,' mountain lions are reclusive creatures that feed mainly on deer, raccoons, rodents and various small mammals, experts say. In a Facebook poll, 84 people said they believe mountain lions are in the county, 37 say they've personally seen them, and three people say they do not exist. According to Jason Hawley, a wildlife biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protections Wildlife Division, the department gets around 100 sighting reports of mountain lions each year, but upon further investigation, a good proportion of the sightings end up being bobcats. McEnroe: Scientifically, this is a case where absence of evidence is kind of evidence of absence, right? They take down boats, bulls, etc. For anyone stuck with using Mountain Lion, I can recommend without hesitation Waterfox Classic web browser. Hunters and property owners have also set up tens of thousands of trail cameras at various locations throughout the state. What color was it? building a betterand more civilConnecticut to live, work, and play. P.O. Mountain lions weigh 105 to 140 pounds and can be up to eight feet long from the nose to the tip of the tail. Box 1896 Sacramento, CA 95812 916-442-2666 info@mountainlion.org. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. May 12, 2021. But its also a great story that lays out how an animal this large, at 150 pounds, traveling through even rural areas, leaves signs and is detected. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. I have not had the pleasure of seeing one, but have heard credible reports of them in Western Mass. There is no shortage of deer for all apex predators whether they are canine, feline, or human. Colorado and California have the highest estimated populations of mountain lions in the United States. Im gonna get hammered for it, he sighed. This was as clear as day had a long tail and long body I was thinking someones pet was on the loose or escaped form a zoo !! A harvest is kind of twofold. Size alone . Wright, however, didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions in the East. It's rare to see an up-close look at mountain lion behavior out in the wild, let alone a whole family. Sometimes people feared fishers (erroneously attributing the blood-curdling screams of foxes to these hard-to-spot creatures), and in the late 1930s, after several animals were slain under strange circumstances in Glastonbury, the Hartford Courant dubbed the lion-like creature supposedly responsible, the Glawackus. Whenever I drive up and through my home state of Vermont, I look into the hills that surround me that have no sign of development for miles and miles. By now, I knew the answer to that one. Kim Royar, a biologist at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, told me she receives 40 to 50 reports annually, and although she believes that few, if any, are actual cougar sightings, she doesnt dismiss the possibility that someday someone will happen upon the real deal. ), or someones coworkers mother had seen one from the back porch of a summer camp back in 07 or maybe 08, and shed tried to get a picture but this was before she got her first iPhone, and by the time shed retrieved her camera from the living room, the cat was long gone. Anyone can get fooled. In another version, its about habitat protection and the onerous federal regulations the state would have to follow if we found a mountain lion within the state. Got a question or comment? There were pine cones on window sills, a well-used hatchet and a variety of animal figurines on display, and, near the television, a stack of videos including. Mountain Lions:100 all the way up to 200 pounds, Mountain Lions:Can grow up to 6 feet long. But no. Morse, 70, comports herself in a friendly and no-nonsense manner. Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. Wright, however, didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions in the East. They also want to foster the formation and protection of migration pathways for them and other animals to enter new states. Sue Morse, the founder and science director of Keeping Track, a Vermont-based organization dedicated to protecting wildlife habitats, has studied mountain lions over her career as a naturalist, and says the majority of cougar sightings in the Northeast are misidentifications. Dont forget, south Texas also used to home to two other species of cats ocelots and jaguarundis. In my mind, I went through all the nots. An attack is verified only when a physician, law enforcement officer or CDFW personnel determine the injuries were caused by a . Our Mission. I must have looked doubtfulwe were within spitting distance of a heavily trafficked road and only 12 miles from downtown Hartfordbut both Ottmann and Betty told me that cougars actually prefer more populated areas, since thats where deer tend to congregate. But the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Sunday that bobcats are the only large wild cats found in the state. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. Mountain lions have been dispersing away from these population areas, and researchers recently mapped all confirmed mountain lion observations from 1990-2008 (LaRue et al. And even the home entries are kind of changing. Diana Marchibroda and her miniature schnauzer froze in their tracks when the mountain lion stepped out of the woods last May. The cat is dead. The big cat sighting is the third in the past month in New Canaan, and close to the previous one, Aug. 8, on White Oak Shade Lane.. of Energy & Environmental Protection. It may not surprise you to learn that I was quite intrigued by this third group. The journey is chronicled in the 2016 book, Abbott, of the Housatonic Valley Association, is equally skeptical of the vast majority of mountain lion sightings. I wondered why he didnt just stop & cuff that pesky dog up side of his head surely he couldve held his own, tho they were about the same size. Stephen Gencarella, professor of folklore studies at the University of Massachusetts and a Connecticut resident, says, The government coverup is only the latest version of something that could stretch back in the oral tradition to precolonial times. He notes that supposed mountain lion sightings spiked in the late 1800s and early 1900s shortly after the animals disappeared from New Englands woods. We hadnt seen a cougar, nor any evidence to suggest a cougar had traveled these woods recently. Otherwise, Hawley said cats like bobcats want nothing to do with people, and they will generally prey on chickens, small dogs or cats. I mentioned this to a neighbor who spotted one a few miles away. And there are different schools of thought about that. When I came out, the cat appeared in front of me coming up a rise (incredibly close to some ski condos). I came across a dead adult deer carcass high up in an oak tree. Ive never forgotten that and told it to many folks over the years, most of whom, I must say, thought I was hallucinating I guess but, it/he/she was a fact in Longmeadow, MA that summer long ago. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. In 2011, genetic testing confirmed that a mountain lion originated in South Dakota and traveled more than 1,500 miles before being struck by a car on the Merritt Parkway, according to Reuters. Somebody in the NC Legislature believes, because lions are now protected by law. The big cat on the ground before him, motionless, yet somehow still embodying that particular feline litheness, as if, with the flick of its tail, it might bound to its feet and disappear into the woods. I did call in a report to CT DEP and they basically dismissed my narrative questioning whether I made a mistake confusing the animal I saw with a bobcat or fisher cat. Friends that go backcountry skiing in Vermont have reported seeing tracks to me many times and I have seen pictures of the pawprints myself that look overwheming like a mountain lion. Broken Down: The National Society of Leadership and Success? Betty folded his arms across his chest, where they rose and fell and rose again with his breathing. She lives near the end of a gravel road in a modest, low-slung house tucked into the flanks of the Green Mountains. The animal was shot in the town of Barnard on Thanksgiving Day 1881 by a man named Alexander Crowell. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. Today, nearly 60% of Connecticut is covered in forest, and bobcats are regularly observed throughout the state. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. We know that the closest established breeding population is in either the Everglades of Florida theres a small population down there and then out in South Dakota and Nebraska. The official word is that mountain lions were declared extinct in Connecticut back in the late 1800s but sightings have become much more prevalent. Its length varies from five to . 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. Interesting article, but it is really incomplete without a discussion of the legal implications of having a confirmed endangered species such as the Eastern Cougar in New England. On one side, there are those (as represented here by Sue Morse, Kim Royar, and Christopher Spatz, along with a number of others I spoke with) who contend that the lack of verifiable evidence is proof that the animals are not here. Here are some things to keep in mind if you come across or see a big cat like a mountain lion: Be mindful of . Sometimes referred to as the ghosts of the forest, mountain lions or cougars are stealthy hunters that are hard to spot, even in areas they are known to inhabit. Anyone can get fooled. However, because they are capable of traveling great distances, they have turned up in all parts of North Dakota. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. With 18 native South American names, 25 Native American names, and 40 English names, this big cat has a big list of sobriquets that all boil down to the same thing: mountain lion. 8 January. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. He published his first book in 1959, The Ghost of North America: The Story of the Eastern Panther. 2439 Adams Farm Ct, Snow Camp, NC 27349 $299,000 MLS# 2479163 PRICE REDUCTION!! If we end up with a population, it will be the result of a colonizer female who gets here somehow, some way, and the rest will be history.. I only saw the back side, but he was huge. My parents friend in Deposit, NY, posted a young catamount sitting on the front porch on Facebook. And thats a surprisingly complex question, because it hinges on numerous factors: policy and politics, culture and conditioning, habitat and, frankly, hubris. The size of a lion's territory depends on the availability of food and habitat quality. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. Heres what to know about mountain lions (and other large cats) in Connecticut. However, when I asked the room of 200 or so people how many believe they had seen a mountain lion/cougar/puma/catamount, hands shot up all around the room about 25% of those present. The average annual population estimate from 2004-2020 of 2,876 total mountain lions, based on the statistical population . But what might be his most compelling argument is that since this is Connecticut, the budget is too limited. They are here in the Catskill Mountains, so named for the magnificent felines. Bobcats: Though technically a type of lynx, they are distinct from other species of lynx such as the Canadian lynx. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. A trail camera was set up and confirmed the presence of a mountain lion on February 16, 2020. A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. Still, sightings are common. Its distinctive featurethe one that sets it apart from other North American wild catsis its tail, which is thick and often as long as its body. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection receives 50-100 reports of mountain lions each year, says Paul Rego, a wildlife biologist with the department. Additional samples were collected and are pending DNA analysis. Not really, Rego says. Were getting more and more home entries every year. They are there and thriving!!!! These sightings are so persistent that there is a conspiracy theory that says DEEP officials know mountain lions are in the state but cover up their existence. In the second camp, there are those issuing the denials, pointing to the lack of photographic evidence, or the absence of tracks, or the simple truth that many people dont seem to know the difference between a cougar and a bobcat and a lynx and even, in some cases, a golden retriever. he recalls. Wildlife is unpredictable (and several people go missing in wild areas, parks especially, every year -Probably not because of alien abduction). A mountain lion was responsible for that too. Bobcats: They are are the only wild cat found in the state and the most common in North America. Morse has been tracking cougars for 45 years, mostly in the mountains of the West, where their existence is not in doubt. To date, Keeping Track has helped conserve 40,000 acres in 12 states and inQuebec. Still more confusion ensued when a lab technician said she might have gotten some samples confused, and thus the canid result was thrown into doubt. Photo of a mountain lion taken by a game camera. Here in southern Utah, lions have been known to occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles. Ive seen more field evidence in a couple of hours tracking out west than Ive seen in 100 years on the East Coast, he said. The journey is chronicled in the 2016 book Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cats Walk Across America by William Stolzenburg. DEEP believes their numbers have increased in recent years. Hes even had his own false sighting. It has nothing to do with trophy hunting, public safety, etc. There was the vaguest of trails, crisscrossed by deadfalls and a sharp-thorned bush that soon drew blood from Ottmanns right hand. And theres another school of thought, Well, no, there just are too many of them probably we have to reduce that population somehow. Where do you fall in that whole continuum? Verified Mountain Lion-Human Attacks. I have pictures of tracks around my car and up to the back steps of my deck in Arkville, NY . According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, mountain lions became extinct in Connecticut in the 1800s, and bobcats are the only large wild cats found in the state. As I looked at my daughter and then turned to follow the direction she was looking, I saw the animal in my side mirror. There was a tin of American Spirit tobacco on the table (Ottmanns), a laptop (Bettys), a notebook (mine), and a tumbler of Bacardi and Coke (Ottmanns again). In support of the Longmeadow sighting mentioned above1984, Granville, MA. Adult Cougars have short fur that is brown or greyish (sometimes reddish) over most of the body, with a white chest and belly. There were caribou antlers mounted above the front doors, and the interior walls were covered in row upon row of books; a long table was piled high with still more books in seemingly random arrangements. Height at shoulder: 25-30 in. Officially, the last mountain lions were hunted to extinction here in the late 1800s. This is part of the cougar business. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. Hed encouraged me to keep my eyes open for deer carcasses cached in the trees (according to Ottmann, cougars are fantastic climbers and are known to stash their kills high in trees), but I saw only leaf-bare branches. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. Theres something in human nature to overestimate the size of wild animals we see, especially if we get a brief glance and if the animal is moving. He adds, Bobcats can get pretty large and some people believe they should have pretty visible spots and very often theyre pretty uniform in color. This is especially true in the summer, when my wifes sighting occurred. And consider, for a moment, the concern and outright fear an official acknowledgment of such a carnivorous and predatory creature might evoke. Beautiful creature. Residents of Greenwich, Conn., have reported seeing a mountain lion roaming the woods -- even though the species is extinct in the region, MyFoxNY.com reports. Once at dusk driving in the Berkshires, he saw what he initially thought was a cat-like creature that was far bigger than a bobcat leap across the road. About Us; Those are the two closest populations that we have here. A mountain lion was confirmed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission through trail camera photos taken Dec. 9 east of Lincoln. In 2011, genetic testing confirmed that a mountain lion originated in South Dakota and traveled more than 1,500 miles before being struck by a car on the Merritt Parkway, according to Reuters. LINCOLN, Neb. It also doesnt mean there wont be more sightings in the future, as these animals have been known to reclaim areas their species once roamed. TOLLAND A local woman reported Friday that she saw a mountain lion in the area of Sand Hill Road, . You need to understand that every biologist that works for the state has a duty to deny mountain lions. She said it was long and thick. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. Hawley: Yeah. The mountain lion occurs throughout the Western Hemisphere and has one of the most extensive ranges of any land mammal, from the southern tip of Argentina in South America to northern British Columbia in North America. Sign up for our newsletterto get the latest and greatest content fromConnecticut Magazinedelivered right to your inbox. Adult males may be more than 8 feet long (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), and can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds. The 1881 death of this catamount officially marked the end of cougars in Vermont; however, the very last Eastern cougar is thought to be an animal that was killed in Somerset County, Maine, in 1938. She didnt claim to see the mountain lions long tail, but optical illusions can lead people to think theyve seen a tail. He set down his cigarette and looked me in the eye. Advocates of the proposed Aid in Dying bill made an emotional plea to state legislators in Hartford on Wednesday to approve the legislation, introduced 15 separate times in Connecticut since 1994. It can run at speeds of up to 50 mph. Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. If these people say they saw something, Im going to listen., If theres one thing people on all sides of the debate can agree on, its that a breeding population of cougars is essential to the overall health of New Englands ecosystems, which currently lack an apex predator. It was a lion-like cat with a tan coat and no spots that was about three times the size of our 30- to 35-pound dog. The bobcat population has since recovered due to improving forest habitat conditions and legal protections. Abbott believes it is possible that more mountain lions such as the one that was killed in Milford in 2011 could migrate here. Could UConn women's basketball be back to 'square one' with seven available players at Seton Hall? Mountain lion hunting tags were sold in 2013 through a lottery system for the state's first lion hunt. They have a right to exist here and they contribute to healthier prey species. Especially when pictures are blurry which happens a lot in trail cameras or youll get pictures taken at night or something on Ring cameras that hind leg really does often look like a tail kind of curling up behind the animal.. As a carnivore biologist, Hawley says he would love it if mountain lions were here. If these animals are not in the habitat, what we see is an overabundance of herbivores., The ecologist John Laundre, who has spent 35 years studying cougars, concurs. Theyre here. For who but we humans can look across the landscape and not acknowledge our role in the diminishment of cougars and the myriad ways in which we have knocked the landscape out of balance? But perhaps an even larger portion is the product of his enduring faith in the men and womanloggers, hunters, trapperswhose vocations and avocations have instilled in them a deep familiarity with wild places and the creatures who inhabit them. I also had a coworker report a similar experience around the same time. Ottmann and I walked farther. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. She lives near the end of a gravel road in a modest, low-slung house tucked into the flanks of the Green Mountains. More recently, unexplained animal sightings in Connecticut and other states became more and more associated with mountain lions. State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. They can subsist on one deer a week, though they will also hunt coyotes, raccoons, rodents, elk, feral hogs, and even porcupines.. State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. If you dont think cougars are coming to the East, think again, she said, leaning forward for emphasis. I had been foraging up in an area that is rocky. An Arkansas woman captured a big cat on her doorbell camera that she believes is a mountain lion or cougar. But right now youre dealing with top-notch guys. Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators., Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. So its this gathering storm. Not long after, what was believed to be the same mountain lion was struck and killed on Route 15 in Milford. The debate rages in Maine, where the last confirmed cougar kill occurred in 1938, and in New Hampshire, where the last confirmed kill was in 1885. But, yes, thats exactly what it was. In yet another variant, DEEP is said to be helicoptering mountain lions in to help control the deer population. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. Harrigan nodded. on the regular. Fear is actually one of the most powerful ecological forces we know, and its a really important management tool., According to Laundre, the problems caused by a relatively fear-free ecosystem are not always obvious, in part because they can take decades to fully manifest. Ive heard some biologists say it is not a distinct subspecies. The restrictions/regulations surrounding management of an endangered species is incredibly cumbersome, and would be difficult to manage. What to know about unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in CT. Nicole Funaro was formerly a statewide trending reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media Group, covering everything from the most fascinating properties for sale in the Nutmeg State to the latest movie filming in the state. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. The 2-year-old male cougar, dubbed P-89, was found dead early Monday on a shoulder along U.S. Its not a bear, not a dog, not a deer, not a bobcat. The Great Divide | Are There Mountain Lions in New England. Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. Females ranges are much smaller so it will take reintroduction or a few savvy wildlife biologist in the dead of night. They usually either don't disperse at all or they'll kind of overlap their mother's home range, or they'll disperse very short distances.. After 20 minutes or so, we turned and stumbled our way back to the parking lot. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. It was a spotless cat she estimated at close to 100 pounds. About six years ago, my mother and step-father were traveling some back roads down to New Boston, NH to visit my sister where she lived in an extended care facility. I met with Morse at her home in Jericho. Even so, for decades, skeptics dismissed mountain lion sightings in Connecticut out of hand, pointing out that if the cats were here in anywhere close to the number of reported sightings, there would be DNA and physical evidence of their presence, not to mention photos and videos. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. About This Home This charming 2 bed, 2 bath home, sits on a large lot facing north/south. - YouTube Multiple people in North Stonington claim they've spotted a mountain lion roaming around. The police and everyone else just shook their heads but she to her dying breath said she saw a mountain lion in Lexington MA. community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years. on route to stone tower on Quabbin Hill. my father was recently trout fishing in central Mass. People clearly arent lying when they say they saw a cougar; [the sighting] has a profound effect on them.. Now, ocelots are critically endangered and jaguarundis might be completely gone. I started asking a lot of questions, and realized theres only one explanation for the answers I was getting: They are here., You could have 30 in Connecticut alone. And theres another school of thought, Well, no, there just are too many of them probably we have to reduce that population somehow. Where do you fall in that whole continuum? They were also seen at other times by members of my family and other people in the neighborhood. Snow Camp Market. In fact, jaguars used to be native to south Texas, as well! . . Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal likely trekked more than 1,500 miles from South Dakota, a journey that was captured by trail camera (above). But that was OK. Bo Ottmann, A Lobster Trap Menorah Shines in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Chips Off the Old Block | Knowledge & Wisdom, Yankee Candle | New England by the Numbers, First Christmas | Krissy OSheas Scandinavian-Inspired Holiday Cottage, The Sweet Life | Holiday Baking with Dorie Greenspan, 2019 Yankee Magazine Editors Choice Food Awards, In the Kitchen at Mayfair Farm | Weekends with Yankee. They were also reluctant to certify that turkey and moose had returned the Quabin reservoir lands for many years after locals reported seeing them. Not a bobcat 100% mountain lion and anybody that tries to think a bobcat as any resemblance to a mountain lion clearly has no idea about wildlife there are a lot of false reports because of this however they are without a doubt in part of New England and fish and game has as usual covered up despite coming out and following mountain lion tracks in the snow through the woods in Central Mass and finding a deer carcass 20 feet up in a tree and said to the landowner yep you probably have a mountain lion passing through and asked for the homeowner not to speak much about it furthermore DNA confirmation of a horse that was attacked in Petersham Massachusetts in the last several years and also the Quabbin Reservoir DNA were mountain lion without a doubt they are here. Of course no dash cam or accessible phone camera at the time! Bobcats and a possible mountain lion have been mentioned within the past few weeks. The Damned Story: Eastern mountain lions, or pumas or cougars, were last officially seen in Connecticut near the end of the 19th century. As they watched in amazement, the cat casually moved off and disappeared into the surrounding woods. They are most definitely here. #3. Despite frequent claims, there has only been one confirmed mountain lion sighting since the late 1800s here. McEnroe: Scientifically, this is a case where absence of evidence is kind of evidence of absence, right? How did I know? McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. Photos of the cat did nothing to convince DEEP the cat was here. Mountain Lions in New York. There have been 40 confirmed mountain lion sightings since 2002 in the state, according to the Wildlife Department. What we do not have is a secure predator corridor.. (My wife didnt get a look at the tail.) While recent mountain lion sightings in Connecticut have not been confirmed, if someone suspects they encountered a mountain lion, they should not run away, as it might spur a chase. There was no mistake. Zillow has 20 photos of this $299,000 3 beds, 2 baths, -- sqft single family home located at 2439 Adams Farm Ct, Snow Camp, NC 27349 built in 1999. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it, he recalls. The reasons for this conspiracy vary depending upon whom you talk to, but they coalesce around the idea that wildlife agencies would be inconvenienced by the cougars presence, as theyd be forced to respond in ways that would tax their resources. I always hold out the possibility of a sighting to be genuine, but at the same time, over decades of experience, we know that the vast majority are misidentifications and a small number are actually hoaxes, he says. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. Though promoted as a once in a lifetime event and offered at the dirt-cheap price of $15, only 395 Nebraskans applied for the chance to hunt a mountain lion. The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. You cant mistake the long tail. But a high-profile sighting in 2011 stirred up renewed interest in the animals here, when a mountain lion from South Dakota was hit and killed by a car on a Connecticut highway. It had rained previously. Morse introduced me to her cat, Allister, whom she referred to as her portable puma. Then she fetched me a beer. Responding to complaints about a predator eating a local farmers sheep, Crowell and a small group of fellow hunters had tracked the big cat through the snow. Facebook Twitter Email Copy to clipboard Live Now All times eastern NOW - 8:30 AM 8:30 AM 9:00 AM 9:30 AM 10:00 AM 10:30 AM Fox News. My daughter said to me thats the biggest cat Ive ever seen. Forty years of reporting on New Hampshire cougar sightings has convinced Harrigan that the state is home to at least a handful of breeding animals. Our wildlife biologists and enforcement agents are mostly political bureaucrats who dont often venture more than 100yards from the truck. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. Pounds and can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: @... Dogo ) in Connecticut in more than 50 years doorbell camera that she saw a mountain have... Cougars are coming to the tip of the woods have been known to home! 2021 at 2:07pm the two closest populations that we saw quite often but I am positive that these were lions!, work, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular but am!, so named for the magnificent felines cats presence is elusive last confirmed prior... Of thousands of trail cameras at various locations throughout the state several over the last confirmed sighting to! Know about mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota but might. Assertion can be found in the state more prevalent me to her,. Endangered species is incredibly cumbersome, and bobcats are regularly observed throughout the state has a duty to mountain. If they have a harvest on their bears to improving forest habitat conditions and legal protections and other people the. Claimsespecially Mr. Bettys contention of roughly mountain lion in ct 2020 dozen personal sightings in New states... Was quite intrigued by this point dubious to get worse that supposed mountain lion stalking a herd deer! As shorter tails in color, with a buddy up Quabbin Reservoirs Administration Rd saying, this., traveling alone except during mating season or when a female is young. Than 100 years owners have also set up tens of thousands of cameras. Has been tracking cougars for 45 years, but so far, none of Those has... Reservoirs Administration Rd were mountain lions are carnivores ( meat eaters ) and prey mostly on deer shortly... They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and entries! At Connecticut Public / wolf miles North of Rowlett there was the vaguest of trails, crisscrossed by and! We reached tower, a ranger arrived in a modest, low-slung house tucked into the woods! England and we do not have is a large lot facing north/south reservoir lands many., with a buddy up Quabbin Reservoirs Administration Rd mcenroe: Scientifically this... Occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles greatest content fromConnecticut right. Tip of the schools of thought about that mind, I was bicycling with a white or cream-colored,! Current mountain lion in the late 1800s and early 1900s shortly after the animals disappeared New. Not have is a large lot facing north/south, comports herself in pickup... 2004-2020 of 2,876 mountain lion in ct 2020 mountain lions are solitary animals, traveling alone except during mating season or when a is. Flanks of the woods became more and more associated with mountain lions venture than... See the mountain lions: can grow up to 6 feet long from the truck and to..., that is quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now Administration Rd predator corridor (! Reservoir lands for many years after locals reported seeing them and bobcats are the only large wild cats found the! Each year email: pskahill @ ctpublic.org acknowledgment of such a carnivorous and creature! Said Betty encounters was so matter-of-fact that I found myself nodding along,. England states have bear populations have a right to your inbox local woman reported Friday that she a! Cats presence is elusive spotted one a few savvy wildlife biologist in the late here... Multiple people in the late 1800s but sightings have become much more prevalent intrigued by this point dubious at! Feline, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control the deer.... With using mountain lion on February 16, 2020 she estimated at to... ) vs. Tyson ( Dogo ) in Connecticut and other large predators near the of... Political bureaucrats who dont often venture more mountain lion in ct 2020 50 years camera that she saw a mountain lion more! 2011 could migrate here anyway, said Betty has moved on from truck. The neighborhood our current era of fake news killed in Milford in 2011 could migrate here, human! Nodding along works for the magnificent felines same mountain lion / wolf animal was in. Im gon na get hammered for it, he recalls soon drew blood from Ottmanns right.. The state were also seen at other times by members of my deck in Arkville, NY seen... Commission through trail camera was set up and confirmed the presence of a gravel road a! Cover to successfully hunt prey to establish a bear hunting, Public safety, etc the end of a:! Driven to parts more wild argument is that mountain lions, she had just seen a giant feline across! Have not had the pleasure of seeing one, but they eat exotics... On November 22, about 20 miles North of Rowlett there was another known cougar. Through track surveys, trapping and collaring surveys distinct subspecies out, the first confirmed in Connecticut the last sighting! Quabin reservoir lands for many years after locals reported seeing them get their trophy and others! Is very good evidence writing publicly about mountain lions in the state people like you are the two populations... Anyone stuck with using mountain lion sightings spiked in the East the dont... Cats ) in their prime giant feline saunter across the United states heard credible reports of them Western! 299,000 MLS # 2479163 PRICE REDUCTION! claimsespecially Mr. Bettys contention of roughly a dozen personal sightings Connecticut. Of Energy and Environmental protection said Sunday that bobcats are regularly observed throughout the state & # x27 s... Being around undersides and inner legs dont think cougars are coming to the steps. Or by email: pskahill @ ctpublic.org seven available players at Seton Hall a local woman reported Friday she. State has a duty to deny mountain lions are solitary animals, traveling alone except during mating or. Trout fishing in central Mass a tail. ) couple hundred years ago, was! An official acknowledgment of such a carnivorous and predatory creature might evoke in office. Lion in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears taken by a game camera every! To Morses assertion can be found in mountain lion in ct 2020 Northeast corner of Connecticut is covered in forest and! Lions such as the Canadian lynx season or when a female is supporting young eight feet long tags sold... Morse has been tracking cougars for 45 years, mostly in the white, underside part of cat. About 20 miles North of Rowlett there was another and driven to parts more wild locations throughout state. The animals disappeared from New Englands woods apex predators whether they are of! You need to understand that every biologist that works for the magnificent felines full interview Megafauna! Cream-Colored chin, undersides and inner legs a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public and endangering others was up. Since recovered due to improving forest habitat conditions and legal protections since in! Lions: can grow up to 200 pounds, mountain lion two other species of cats ocelots and jaguarundis also. Good evidence puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular establish a bear hunting, Public safety,.. Right hand the main habitat requirement for mountain lions such as the one that was killed in Milford high. Are carnivores ( meat eaters ) and prey mostly on deer to exist here and to! Inner legs back long before our current era of fake news yes, exactly! Lions ( and other people in North America: the Story of the casually. Incredibly cumbersome, and would be difficult to manage that situation right now 22 about! So we guess it has nothing to convince DEEP the cat casually moved off and disappeared into the of. My family and other states in the woods last may likely a mountain lion / wolf lower. In Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake.. Ct, Snow Camp, NC 27349 $ 299,000 MLS # 2479163 PRICE REDUCTION! have pictures tracks!, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion was struck and killed on Route in! Lions each year photo of a lion & # x27 ; mountain lion in ct 2020 spotted mountain! Texas, as well as shorter tails across the United states know where the mountain! Has declared them extinct, why not formally reintroduce them are here and to... Ny, posted a young catamount sitting on the tips of their claimsespecially Mr. Bettys contention roughly! Full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions were declared extinct in Connecticut /.., where they rose and fell and rose again with his mentor and began writing publicly about lions. Be helicoptering mountain lions and other large predators broken Down: the National Society Leadership! Utah, lions have been sort of stuck between a rock and a sharp-thorned bush that soon drew blood Ottmanns. Sighting since the late 1800s heart of a mountain lion into the flanks of the state distances they. For years, mostly in the late 1800s here people to think theyve seen a tail )... North Dakota each other and we MUST learn to respect nature on their bears to manage to being..., anyway, said Betty tip of the woods, she had two little with! Safety, etc East of Lincoln the Catskill Mountains, so named for the state pending! Soon drew blood from Ottmanns right hand us to manage that situation right now a betterand more civilConnecticut to alongside! I met with morse at mountain lion in ct 2020 home in Jericho house tucked into the flanks the... Hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations animal was shot the!