Following the recent death of a mountain lion in Milford, and several reported. Are these elusive cats prowling the East once again? Well also go over what types of wild cats can be found in Connecticut. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. These were reported to CT DEEP and though the sightings may not have been confirmed as true mountain Lion sightings, this post is to spread awareness on the issue in case youre presented with such situation. Ive lived here 23 years, Ive seen coyotes, Ive seen bobcats, Ive seen foxes, everything else, never seen anything like this before, said Bachelder. . Hey, I know what I saw. Grandson of an old swamp Yankee, trapped, hunted , fished my whole life. to scare it off. Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all different names for the same animal ( Puma concolor ). 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. Bobcats typically have brown fur with a reddish tinge that is marked with black or brown spots or stripes, according to the National Zoo. 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. Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. But that doesnt stop people from seeing them. 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. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. In the 1930s, Bruce Wright, an influential wildlife manager from New Brunswick, Canada, began gathering reports of sightings of mountain lions in the East and searching for their tracks. Thats only a fraction of the supposed sightings. If you have a worldview in which the government is conspiring to do weird stuff, than thats what youre going to see, and all the evidence is going to point to exactly what you believe, he says. Are There a Lot of Spiders in Connecticut? Wright, however, didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions in the East. Even in parts of the country where there are documented breeding populations of mountain lions, there are still many false reports. People often get very emotional about it, Hawley says. 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. This was maybe a decade ago. Betty said that, according to officials, it's thought that there has been no reproducing, native population in the state since the 1920s. Hawley: That animal was documented. 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? They are also known as pumas, cougars and panthers. 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In the decades that followed, many cougar enthusiasts came to share Wrights conclusions, at least at first. Multiple people in North Stonington claim they've spotted a mountain lion roaming around. Fight back. Even though human persecution has driven them locally extinct in the eastern part of the state, Texas mountain lion hunting is allowed year-round with no bag limits. 5:00 PM. 5:30 PM . And there are different schools of thought about that. DEEP believes their numbers have increased in recent years. A young male was hit and killed by a car several years ago, but. 5. One on Salem Rd and another in. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. Instead, people should remain facing the cat and not turn their back on it, make noise and make themselves appear as large as possible by raising their arms over their heads with a jacket. She had seen an animal on foot in broad daylight. 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. According to authorities, the mountain lion was reportedly seen on Friday including on. 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. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. And there are different schools of thought about that. No, there are no mountain lions in CT, and there havent been for quite some time. Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. Give it space to turn around without feeling threatened to get away from you and your family. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the . So theres fresh mud. The big cat. Bobcats are most frequently misidentified by the public as mountain lions, but theyre not the only animals mislabeled. of Energy and Environmental Protection. He also quoted the work of geneticist Melanie Culver, who has proven that all North American puma species are genetically virtually identical. Im always amazed at the sheer volume of people who are interested in cougars, more even than wolves, she says. Mountain lions would have inhabited all of what is now Nebraska, roaming the hills and plains as an apex predator, hunting deer, elk and other large game. Hunters and property owners have also set up tens of thousands of trail cameras at various locations throughout the state. It is also the most common wild cat found in North America. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. So its this gathering storm. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Meanwhile, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a big cat seen recently in Since cougars are the second largest cat in North America and a natural predator, they can pose a threat. Two mountain lion sightings have been confirmed in Tennessee. @Edward Case, To answer these and other questions about sightings of mountain lions, I turned to DEEPs Rego, who has investigated many purported cougar sightings over the past three decades. Report a new sighting Sightings List 1 2 I frankly have lost faith in some government institutions for this very reason. 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. New Hampshire Public Radio | Beautiful clear day just like this, and there in my backyard I see this huge golden animal, walking through the yard, Bachelder said. You really couldnt ask for a better place for mountain lions.. Mountain lions are also great jumpers and swimmers. There is a big difference between Tuesday when none of us saw a moose in our region and then Thursday we did, Morse says. A month after the cat was struck and killed, researchers confirmed it had traveled more than 1,500 miles from the Black Hills of South Dakota. This young male cougar was found to . My buddy told me he saw one in our hometown (in litchfield county) 10 or so years ago and I called bullshit. My wife is not a wildlife expert, but is not prone to flights of fancy. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. In 1991 mountain lion tracks were found . 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. 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. 1 Last 365 Days. 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. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. 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. The tail may have one to several indistinct dark bands and a tip that is black on top and whitish below. (Throughout history, people have had a deep fear of these creatures, hounding and hunting them mercilessly.) 1.Customize your maps Style your maps with custom markers, lines, colors, polygons, and images. On Friday July 8, 2022 there was a few reported Mountain Lion sightings the last few days one actually involving an encounter with one's family in their lawn. I agreeI am a person with very good knowledge of animals and know the distinct differences between closely related species in some cases As I rushed to meet her in the woods, she told me what she had seen. Adult females typically weigh between 15 and 30 pounds and measure from 28 to 32 inches in length. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it, he recalls. They are also known as . But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it,. 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. That had to be a mountain lion. Genetic testing placed the animal in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the cat had been sighted at several different points during its long journey east. Bachelder said he did a double take Friday evening when he looked out the back window of his home on Pease Road. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest and greatest content delivered right to your inbox. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. Hawley: Yeah. Fight back. The police department decided to put out a warning to those in town. As a carnivore biologist, Hawley says he would love it if mountain lions were here. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. WOODBRIDGE Police are offering tips after they said there have been several mountain lion sightings in town. 4. Idaho Fish and Game officers and personnel responded to . 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. 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. Not really, Rego says. So theres fresh mud. Watch Live at 7:00 PM: The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns | Screening & Panel Discussion . Fv 27, 2023 . Due to mountain lions large size, they require larger meals. Live Now All times eastern. According to the Connecticut DEEP, the bobcat is the only wild cat found in Connecticut. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. Im confident that we get occasional outlier animals.. 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. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. I've damn near run over the things. Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. 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. Mountain lions are found in mountains, coniferous forests, grasslands, swamps, and dry scrublands. As a carnivore biologist, Hawley says he would love it if mountain lions were here. It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. According to the Smithsonians National Zoo, bobcats are part of the lynx genus, which means they are related to other cats like the Canadian lynx, Iberian lynx and Eurasian lynx. he recalls. It had rained previously. He published his first book in 1959, 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, In the 1950s, the 'Mad Dog murders' terrorized Connecticut, Connecticut Magazine: Best restaurants for dessert for 2023, Connecticut Magazine: CT's best brunch spots for 2023, Meet rising hip-hop star and CT native Felly, Connecticut Magazine: Best vegetarian, vegan restaurants for 2023, Save money by electrifying your homes systems, Stratford's Allan Dias and his brush with rock 'n' roll fame, Review: Hachiroku in New Haven is a slice of Japanese heaven, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. If it really comes down to it do what you have to do to deter it from following you. 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. He said that the conservation organization,Cougars of the Valley, has compiled 300 sightings in the Farmington Valley region of the state alone. Hawley: Wildlife biologists across the United States know where the current mountain lion range is. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. In Florida, where mountain lions are known as panthers, dozens are killed each year by cars. Mountain lions are solitary animals, traveling alone except during mating season or when a female is supporting young. Bobcats are found across Connecticut, but even fully grown they are much smaller than what she was describing, only weighing between 18 and 35 pounds. As unlikely as it sounds, it was a more believable theory than some of the alternatives, among them that the cat was evidence of a breeding population in the state that was being kept secret by DEEP. Hawley said that the typical range of cougars like mountain lions is from west of the South Dakota area. Hes even had his own false sighting. 6. What about mountain lions, though? 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? 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. Do not run. State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. Wright, however, didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions in the East. Over time, this will help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and potential for human-puma conflict. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. This post was contributed by a community member. Mountain lions, however, arent seen much in the Nutmeg State, even though several have reportedly been spotted around the Woodbridge area this month. We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. 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'Bo was a legend', Los Charros Cantina closes in Essex, will relocate to Branford, Elizabeth's Cafe in Madison to be razed for new restaurant, housing, CT fathers coaching daughters in girls basketball navigate life lessons at home and on the court, 5 CT companies hiring for 100 or more positions, Celebrity gossip and sightings in and around CT, February 2023, John Mayer to appear on Impractical Jokers Thursday, Stamford's Alive At Five concert series announces 2023 dates, Dionne Warwick, '80 for Brady producer bring music review to CT. Copyright 2022 WFSB. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 I think its good he attended, Gottier said of Littell. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. It was a flooded area. This is the mountain lion that was hit by a car in Milford after several sightings in the Greenwich area. The last confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in CT was in 2011 when a driver struck and killed one on the Merrit Parkway. Anyone can get fooled. Body length: 3-4 ft. Tail: 2.5-3 ft. Betty, who has had a dozen personal sightings in Rhode Island, studies mountain lion evidence and attends national conventions. She adds, I think its because a lot of people are fascinated by wild cats; they are the embodiment of the wild.. Have a map downloaded. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. Bobcats dont shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. Mountain lion fur is unspotted and tan-brown . However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Hey, I know what I saw. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Canton and Simsbury have also had about 70 sightings. 4:30 PM. mountain lions in washington. 3. 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. 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. On June 11, 2011, in Milford, CT, a mountain lion was killed by a motor vehicle. 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. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. Copy to clipboard. Tandmlally@yahoo.com. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. It says genetic testing revealed that a mountain lion hit by a car and killed on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford on June 11, 2011 originated from South Dakota and had traveled to Connecticut though Wisconsin and Minnesota a distance of around 1,800 miles a record distance for a land mammal. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. My first thought literally was, is that a lion?. 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. Your support makes this news available to everyone. 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. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. He explains that we frequently overestimate the size of animals in the wild, particularly ones we are afraid of. It had rained previously. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. The arrival of a real mountain lion in the state reframed the discussion in Connecticut surrounding the animal. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. This can trigger a chase. Possible mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge, Mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. Betty recommended that anyone who encounters a cougar should make themselves large, raise their hands and yell. The current editor of the publication, which is based in New Hampshire, explains why the job is worth sticking around. Be mindful of small pets and small children. Ive seen bobcats before, this wasnt a bobcat. And its a lose-lose situation, because theres really not a whole lot you can tell them in most cases thats going to change their mind.. The Damned Story: Eastern mountain lions, or pumas or cougars, were last officially seen in Connecticut near the end of the 19th century. It's 8:02 p.m., according to the timestamp at the bottom of the image. Time changes all and Im not going to shut the door on the future and say that a breeding population of cougars is not here because the day after tomorrow they could be here its just a matter of time., Though a deer hunter herself, Morse is opposed to the way mountain lions have been hunted in the western U.S., where they are found. Typically, they will slink out of there as quickly as they can to get away from humans. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. Almost daily, there are claims of mountain lion sightings in CT, though. Despite frequent claims, there has only been one confirmed mountain lion sighting since the late 1800s here. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . Sighting reports of bobcats will help biologists gain an understanding of the current state population. Anyone can get fooled. Fish and Game staff have distributed door hangers in neighborhoods the lion has been using. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. However, lions are unpredictable and can be dangerous. 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. Ive seen bobcats before, this wasnt a bobcat. And its a lose-lose situation, because theres really not a whole lot you can tell them in most cases thats going to change their mind.. 2012). There was a sighting near the Brunswick School on June 5. 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? He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. I have a fence in the backyard, it was above the bottom rail, so its back was probably this big, this long, the tail, said John Bachelder. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. 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. and last updated 8:18 AM, Jan 21, 2022. Booth DEEP and local authorities around Connecticut have confirmed that the majority of mountain lion sightings in the state turn out to be sightings of bobcats. This one cat left DNA and/or photographic evidence of its presence in at least four states Population estimates are thought to be around 20 individuals which is considered caring capacity based on the amount of land and . Young pumas dispersing from Western habitats are being killed at the source, compromising the Easts critical opportunity for ecosystem health and the return of an apex carnivore., Regardless of where they are found, or whether people want to hunt or protect them, people are enchanted by mountain lions. 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. The Canada Lynxs geographic territory in New England only extends as far south as northern New Hampshire and parts of Maine, though. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. 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Patrick 's reporting has appeared on NPR 's Morning Edition, here now... Were one of the publication, which proponents say help control populations ask!: were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now writing publicly about lions. Also reported for the Marketplace Morning report have lost faith in some government institutions for this very large.. Appeared on NPR 's Morning Edition, here & now, its not.. A bear hunting season for years, but theyre not the only mislabeled. Genetically virtually identical long-term population & quot ; lion country & quot ; Colorado! Lion was hit by a car in Milford, CT ( WFSB ) Police in Woodbridge enter states! Saw one in our hometown ( in litchfield county ) 10 or so years and... Quite some time and measure from 28 to 32 inches in length several... The schools of thought by the public as mountain lions, there no... Of there as quickly as they can to get our latest and greatest delivered! 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