And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. Police have a warning after there were multiple mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. Anyone can get fooled. He published his first book in 1959, The Ghost of North America: The Story of the Eastern Panther. This young adult, male Mountain Lion was struck and killed by a SUV in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2012. This article appeared in theNovember 2019issue ofConnecticut Magazine. The views expressed here are the author's own. He also quoted the work of geneticist Melanie Culver, who has proven that all North American puma species are genetically virtually identical. Genetic testing placed the animal in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the cat had been sighted at several different points during its long journey east. ', 'Saturday Night Live' skit with Woody Harrelson takes place at Naval Submarine Base New London, Bo Hickey, former New Canaan hockey, football coach and NFL player, has died. Tim Abbott, the regional land conservation and greenprint director for the Housatonic Valley Association, says that during a lecture on mountain lions last winter at Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village, when the speaker asked if anyone had seen a mountain lion, half of the roughly 400 people in attendance raised their hands. The only types of lynx that are indigenous to New England are the Canada Lynx and the Lynx rufus (bobcat). (Throughout history, people have had a deep fear of these creatures, hounding and hunting them mercilessly.) 2 Last 5 Years. There are mountain lions in connecticut. not all bobcats are heavily spotted either - just to add to the confusion.. Mountain Lions:They can have similar coloring and their tails can look alike, which has lead to some house cats being mistaken for them, even though mountain lions are much, much bigger. The police department decided to put out a warning to those in town. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Black panthers, which are not found in the U.S., are actually black jaguars or leopards. There have been no "confirmed" reports of mountain lions, AKA Puma concolor, in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s. Tandmlally@yahoo.com. 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. My wife is not a wildlife expert, but is not prone to flights of fancy. Bobcats typically have brown fur with a reddish tinge that is marked with black or brown spots or stripes, according to the National Zoo. So, now that youve got the answer on whether or not mountain lions can be found in CT, lets talk about which wild cats are more likely to be seen here. After the male mountain lion was removed from Red Hill Trail on May 11, additional sightings in that area were reported: one on May 16, and two over the weekend of May 19 and 20. Over a period of a year and a half, this mountain lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. Even so, Abbott has heard of mountain lion sightings from what he deems reliable sources and believes its possible that other animals have made the difficult, some say almost miraculous trek, from the West to Connecticut. Bobcats are most frequently misidentified by the public as mountain lions, but theyre not the only animals mislabeled. When it comes to mountain lions, (also called cougars, pumas, or panthers) is there really a chance you will come across one in the wild, or will you need to visit a zoo to see one of these magnificent animals in real life? 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. Give it space to turn around without feeling threatened to get away from you and your family. 1 Last 365 Days. Rego says that if there were many other animals like the 2011 cat that died in Milford, there would be more visual or physical evidence. New London would be the last place I'd expect to see a mountain lion in CT. My sister is on 9 acres in Harwinton and watched a mountain lion cross the driveway which is about a quarter mile surrounded by woods and unpaved. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. 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. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. Although common at the time of European settlement, the last known historical specimen in Missouri was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. Today, instead of focusing on cougar sightings in Eastern states, many cougar enthusiasts want to protect the animal from being hunted in the regions in which they are currently found. And there are different schools of thought about that. 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. We're not aware of any more confirmed mountain lion sightings other than the one that was hit by the car many years back. A couple things to keep in mind if you come across or see a big cat like a Mountain Lion: 1. Join as a $8 per month sustainer and get our brand-new owl umbrella! I think its good he attended, Gottier said of Littell. Hawley says that they would be finding carcasses of mountain lion prey and mountain lion tracks if these animals had recolonized the state, and this simply isnt happening. Betty later showed maps covered with dots, each of which represented sightings of mountain lions in Connecticut and the rest of New England. The last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut occurred in 2011. listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information. According to Hawley, if mountain lions were present in the state, there would be evidence and not just unconfirmed sightings. It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. Make yourself big -- do not bend, squat or sit down. Then in June 2011, there were reports of a mountain lion in Greenwich and, for the first time, a photo. Betty later showed maps covered with dots, each of which represented sightings of mountain lions in Connecticut and the rest of New England. The map below includes both confirmed and unverified puma sightings in the larger San Francisco Bay region (and beyond) since 2004. Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. Anyone can get fooled. When it comes out that there are mountain lions in Connecticut where all these people who denied them apologize to the people who know they saw them? When you look at a state like Connecticut, with all the people we have here, all the trail cameras we have in the woods, all the cars we have driving you can imagine if we had an established population here in Connecticut, we would know about it pretty quickly. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. There is a big difference between Tuesday when none of us saw a moose in our region and then Thursday we did, Morse says. We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. While other states have their Bigfoot and sea monster sightings, in Connecticut, and throughout much of the Northeast, we see mountain lions even when were told such sightings are unlikely, if not outright impossible. Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. 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. Also known as cougars, panthers or pumas, mountain lions range in color from tan to grey, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. She had seen an animal on foot in broad daylight. 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. This young male cougar was found to . According to DEEP the bobcat is the only confirmed species of wild cat in CT as of 2022. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. A harvest is kind of twofold. By, March 2023 Fund Drive Rules and Regulations, Persons with disabilities who need assistance accessing NHPR's FCC public files, please contact us at publicfile@nhpr.org. In 1991 mountain lion tracks were found . According to authorities, the mountain lion was reportedly seen on Friday including on. Police have a warning after there were multiple mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. More recently, unexplained animal sightings in Connecticut and other states became more and more associated with mountain lions. 2012). In the decades that followed, many cougar enthusiasts came to share Wrights conclusions, at least at first. Inevitably, the New England states will acknowledge that they have some mountain lions.. Mountain Lions: Large tan cats with a distinctive two to three-foot curving tail, that can almost touch the ground as they walk. So its this gathering storm. For over 30 years the CT DEEP has been tracking reported sightings and maintain it has never observed or found proof that mountain lions are still here in the state. Mountain Lions: cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. From Litchfield County, can confirm. It went through my yard, went up behind, I have some property, past my barn, went into the woods, east, lots of woods back there, just disappeared.. Mountain Lions are the largest predators currently in Rocky Mountain National Park. State wildlife experts say those big cats have been extinct in Connecticut for more than 100 years. He was previously a reporter for the Danbury News-Times and the Ridgefield Press. It was a flooded area. These tips include carrying safety equipment and walking . Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Typically, they will slink out of there as quickly as they can to get away from humans. DEEP says Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. The next week, on June 11, the cat was hit and killed by an, on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford. Im always amazed at the sheer volume of people who are interested in cougars, more even than wolves, she says. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service reports that mountain lions typical habitat is steep, rocky canyons or mountainous terrain, but they generally can be found wherever deer are present. According to the Connecticut DEEP, the bobcat is the only wild cat found in Connecticut. You really couldnt ask for a better place for mountain lions.. What would motivate DEEP officials to do this isnt clear. Somebody needs to take charge of this outfit and do something about the interactions with the citizenry. A fourth cougar sighting in recent days was reported near the New Canaan border Thursday, according to Animal Control officer Allyson Halm. So theres fresh mud. Another mountain lion was killed on a Connecticut highway. Weve got a growing bear population. Re (3): Mountain Lion sighting in Brookfield ct - By weather01089 February 1, 2016 at 04:55:52 PM. But the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Sunday that. Meanwhile, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a big cat seen recently in His mentor, Aldo Leopold, a prominent wildlife biologist, also believed this, but felt if people learned about these populations, they would be hunted to extinction. You can highlight your store locations with custom colors and elements. Speaker Bill Betty presented evidence and proposed theories that could prove that Connecticut, including, is home to a native population of Eastern mountain lions. Sometimes in our shock and excitement at seeing wildlife we see what we want to see. He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. 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