A 2011 article from The Post and Courier revealed a string of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in the Lowcountry. Hunting is legal, but the use of dogs was banned in 1996. They live in warm ocean waters, and travel in groups of up to 1,000. The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. Today, they are rarely seen but occasionally do appear. Peterson said he understands the excitement around the idea of crossing paths with a mountain lion, but nearly all of the photos and videos he receives are not what they seem. Today a small population, estimated at around 200, of Florida panthers still reside in the state. Mountain lions can be found throughout Arizona, and data suggests the populations are not only stable, but growing. Western cougars, known as mountain lions, panthers, and pumas rarely expand their breeding habitats close to North Carolina. Could be that some got too big for their litter box and were dumped in the mountains. The Florida panther is an endemic subspecies of cougar that has lived in the everglades region for a very long time. A wild mountain lion hasnt been verified in South Carolina in about 100 years, said Perry, whos studied mountain lions for more than a decade. Cottonmouths are found primarily in the eastern region of the state - in swamps, lakes, rivers, and bodies of water. Many were defensive, too, knowing theyll be accused of misidentifying a bobcat as a cougar. There isnt an official estimate on mountain lions in the state. This is a list of known or suspected fatal cougar attacks that occurred in North America by decade in chronological order. But European colonization essentially extirpated the cats from about two thirds of their habitat in the U.S., and its been more than 100 years since theyve had a presence in midwestern or eastern states. When a female kitten gets big enough, she doesnt have to go very far, because nobodys kicking her in the butt to get far away.. But federal and state biologists say there's no solid proof a wild population of Eastern mountain lions still roams North Carolina. Marchibroda wasnt under any illusions that she could catch or in any way interact with the mountain lion she saw on her hike. According to Perry, the countys lack of pet mountain lions doesnt necessarily discount the sightings, because mountain lions can travel very long distances. He said it was highly unlikely, but possible that some people are actually seeing a western mountain lion or Florida panther thats managed to dodge traffic and travel to South Carolina. Male mountain lions, also known as toms, occasionally travel long distances and sometimes appear from South Carolina to New England, according to Perry. But Im not sure well ever see an established breeding population.. In many regions, the population within the state is actually increasing! The dogs barked for several minutes, so I thought they had maybe treed some sort of animal,he said. Most people who say they spotted a mountain lion will tell you the long, distinctive tail of the cat was visible. Several years later, the story of a federal foresters escape from the clutches of a black panther in Oconee County made headlines. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Available here: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Mammals/Eastern-Cougar#:~:text=Cougars%20were%20extirpated%20from%20North,living%20anywhere%20in%20the%20state, Wrightsville Beach Magazine, Available here: https://wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com/return-of-the-cougar/. A history of mistaken identity and conspiracies. Still, a wanting and desire to see a big cat back in the wild in North Carolina only goes so far, said Falyn Owens, a state wildlife biologist. They prefer larger prey like deer and elk. Only one big cat officially calls the state home, and thats the bobcat. According to LaRue and her research, lions recolonize by stepping stone dispersal, which essentially means they start traveling, find a nice habitat to set up shop for a little while, then move on to the next area with a suitable habitatand theyll do this for hundreds, even up to thousands of miles. She believes that North American mountain lionsincluding the Florida panther, which she said is protected because they are considered a distinct population segment via the Endangered Species Actare essentially all the same, without enough genetic distinctions to justify differentiating the western and eastern subspecies. But she was familiar with (and disturbed by) the U.S. However, that number does not reflect the entire state. That might depend on who you ask, but LaRue, whos been studying mountain lions for more than a decade, isnt convinced that eastern cougars were ever any different from the western subspecies. All are found throughout the state except for the pigmy, which is only found in the southeastern region. I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. The last recorded sightingsof Eastern cougars are believed to be from Maine in 1938and New Brunswick, Canada, in1932,according to the U.S. Pictured above, this photo began to circulate around North Carolina as an actual black panther/cougar sighting throughout the state. Fish & Wildlife Resource. Eastern cougars once readily inhabitated the state and have made their mark on several landmarks. I dont really know why, because I dont really think it ever existed.. There have been 121 mountain lion sightings in Virginia since 1970. Since mountain lions are the top predators (unlike most other states with grizzly bears), they have a well-developed population. Cougars used to roam the entirety of North America, making the mountain ranges, woodland forests, and river corridors from coast to coast their homes. Today, we are going to explore the 15 US states that have mountain lions, plus a few others that may have some. Last year the U.S. So as far as anyone knows, there are no mountain lions in . Although the eastern cougar is extinct, there are still sightings of these cats across the state. A total of 65 mammal species live in the park. The largest animals in the park are elk. Mountain lions have been caught on camera in Indiana, and Tennessee wildlife officials maintain a map that shows confirmed cougar sightings, including at least half-dozen within roughly 350 miles of Asheville. So many North Carolina residents believe it only makes sense that the large cats are making their way into their state. They initially didnt want to admit that I saw one, and they were calling it a UFOan unidentified furry object. But some residents, including Koehler, are already taking precautions. There are two primary factors that mountain lions need. So will a new population of cougars render the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services declaration of extinction moot? The highly endangered Florida panther, which is genetically distinct from the Eastern and Western mountain lion, is estimated to consist of 150-200 animals, almost all centered in southwestern Florida near Big Cypress National Preserveand Everglades National Park. For years people have reported mountain lion sightings in the Valley, but, according to local DWR officials, they've been extinct in our area since 1882. The government again demonstrates its incompetence when it concludes there are no longer any mountain lions here, and to claim those that we hear and see (tracks and the animals) are from escaped pets is just nuts, there are hundreds of sightings in our area alone, even more in the Blue Ridge Mountains at large. According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, there are no mountain lions, or cougars, in North Carolina. Depending on where you live, you may know them as pumas, panthers, cougars, or catamounts. 2023 www.starnewsonline.com. Mountain lions, which are also called cougars, pumas, and sometimes panthers, once roamed from coast to coast. Heres how they did. I do not believe that South Carolina has a free-ranging wild cougar population, said Butfiloski. The timber rattlesnake, eastern diamond back, and pigmy are the three types of rattlesnakes found in North Carolina. There are at least 10 different subspecies of white-tailed deer, and it doesnt make a bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.. If you encounter a mountain lion, always maintain eye contact. My first thought was, I gotta chase this thing, Marchibroda said. There are deserts, mountains, and swamps in the state of Utah, all of which are suitable for mountain lions. The cougar (also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, catamount, puma, and other names) was once one of the most widely distributed mammals in the Western Hemisphere. Mountain lions are large, tan cats that live in North and South America. More recently, a Piedmont resident captured a trail camera photo of what many believed to be a black panther. However, it is not uncommon for them to eat smaller animals like coyotes, raccoons, and mice. Mountain lions that are looking for new breeding areas are known as transient and are almost always males. And then my second thought was No, maybe not.. Several species of shark are found off the coast of North Carolina. It had the exact cadence and shrillness of a females call when shes looking for a mate, he said. The big cat was captured after roaming free for two days. They are easily identified by their eye pattern, six eyes in three pairs, and a marking that resembles a fiddle or violin on the top of the spider. You can find black bears in the mountain region of western North Carolina and the coastal swamplands of the eastern part of the state. No other states have a confirmed breeding pouplation. Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once common here and they have left a legacy of place names throughout the state indeed, the entire Southeast. we would have stronger evidence if the large cats were still living in the state. Ive received reports from every single county, he added. Many people claimtheyre actually seeing a black mountain lion, but there has never been a mountain lion that has been seen, killed, or bred in captivity that is black,according to Perry. 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. We are always working to improve this website for our users. . They belong to the Felidae (cat) family and have many common names. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? I listened to bobcats, coyotes, and all kinds of other animals. She is passionate about writing and enjoys digging into new, unique topics. The majestic cat only lives in a small portion of the United States. Why do they believe it now? The nearest confirmed established and breeding mountain lion populations are in the Black Hills of North and South Dakota and western Nebraska. Similar to what's happened in recent decades with the coyote, Western mountain lions are slowly moving east to fill in the predatorial gap at the top of the food chain. Females have gradually made their way into states like Nebraska, South Dakota, Arkansas, and Missouri, but according to LaRue, it turns out the midwest largely is not a great habitat. So its not unreasonable to assume that theyll continue on and eventually end up in states near and on the eastern seaboard, where lush mountain ranges like the Blue Ridge and Smokies offer prime habitat and sustenance (deer, primarily) for the cats. If theyre still around here, during deer season, Im assuming well get more pictures from trail cameras, he said. It has to be a good, clear photo, and we get all kinds of fuzzy stuff that could be a bobcat, could be a yellow lab, but its so far away or so fuzzy we cant tell.. Have some feedback for us? Now, mountain lions still live in most of South and Central America, though there are far fewer of them. Nature does have a way of restoring itself. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. At various times over the years, the venomous, Portuguese man-o-war has washed up on the shores of North Carolinas beaches, and thats just one of the dangerous animals in North Carolina. Many residents insist theyre either seeing or hearing mountain lions despite the lack of evidence. Cape Hatteras National Seashore is definitely one of those parks. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the largest remaining protected ecosystem east of the Rocky Mountains, and nearby regions havebeen a hotbed of reported cougar sightings over the decades. Researched and written by our staff writer who enjoys contributing about their state for our site. Many wildlife experts and authorities are hoping that mountain lions will eventually migrate east from the Rocky Mountain states and repopulate the region. They prefer larger prey like deer and elk. As long as there is enough food for the large felines, they will gladly stay in an area. Its amazing how many people came out of the wood work to tell about their sightings.. One such place is Aloha Safari Zoo in Cameron. NCWRC officials find that red foxes with mange, bobcats, coyotes, domestic dogs and cats are often mistaken for mountain lions. And in the United States, the population diminished rapidly during the mid to late 1800s and into the early 1900s. The predator is a carnivore and a highly-skilled, elusive hunter. According to those who claim they saw a mountain lion, yes, the number has increased. Mountain lions live in incredibly diverse environments, but all call the Western Hemisphere home. There are so many incredible parks in the state, including a few . It was not a bobcat., Ive seen one about a half mile from my house in Green Mountain - which is in Yancey County, posted Kim Owens-Mayhew on Facebook. Controlled hunting of mountain lions is allowed within the state. Except for a very small population in Florida, there are no known groups in the Southeast, or east of the Mississippi in all truthfulness.. TWRA has had their collective heads up their cloacas for a very long time in denial of these sitings [sic] and reports, reads a comment on a December 2015 article about the video footage. The cougars wandering far from their original homes in the West are, naturally, searching for three things: habitat, food and mates. As for what a new population of mountain lions would mean for nearby residents, education is crucial. Being in a residential neighborhood does nothing for a cougar.. We Inspire. The reintroduction of mountain lions into South Dakota is one of the great wins of modern conservation. They dont go after dogs and cats or people. The largest, tipping the scales at nearly 700 pounds, is the elk, which was experimentally reintroduced to the park in 2001. Well probably see younger males pop up here and there in the remote areas of the mountains. Cougars weigh between 80-225 pounds and are 6-9 feet long (nose to tail). Koehler wasnt able to record the sound before the mystery creature moved on, but he remains adamant theres a mountain lion roaming around his house. Throughout the 18th century, due to hunting, persecution, and loss of habitat, the eastern cougar was all but eradicated in North Carolina. Despite the widely-held belief in the scientific community that eastern mountain lions have been long gone and any cats seen roaming the region these days must have made the long trek from midwestern states like South Dakota, some Appalachian residents remain convinced that the cats never actually left the area. But the Eastern mountain lion, the official name of the species that once and some believestill does lived in North Carolina continues to capturethe imagination of many. If for some reason there were any cougars rediscovered in the east that werent migrants from the west, the protection status is up to the state in which it is found, LaRue said. Currently, mountain lions seem to be making a comeback in regard to their historic range. The NCWRC receives regular reports of mountain lion sightings. Their size is a little hard to wrap your head around. Fish & Wildlife Resources recent decision to declare eastern cougars extinct, and she knew unless she was able to produce some sort of physical evidence like a photo, shed be hard pressed to convince any wildlife expert of what she saw. The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America. According to state officials, North Carolina panthers have become extinct sometime in the 1800s, . Dominant toms may inhabit a 100-square-mile area, and any other males, including cubs that are just born, are competing against the alpha, he said. In 2007, a contract security officer called the universitys police department after he spotted what he thought looked like a mountain lion near the Calhoun Mansion. All Rights Reserved. But according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), there is no longer a residential population of mountain lions in the state. Mountain lions (Puma concolor)are one of the largest cats in the Americas. The state of Texas is home to many mountain lion populations, but the numbers are incredibly hard to find. Heres What the Data Says. There was one outside of my sons school once and all the kids saw it. But hunting practices and habitat loss drastically reduced the overall population over the last few centuries. These powerful, majestic creatures once lived across much of the country but have since been killed or pushed out of most of it. They also live in much of Canada. The solitary animals have very large home territories. The Family Felidae contains a number of species, including jaguars, ocelots, mountain lions, bobcats, lynxes and domestic cats. Their beige or tawny fur helps camouflage them in a myriad of environments. The position of the Hallucigenia's head puzzled scientists for several years. The venom is more dangerous than a copperhead and can be fatal. Born Free USA, a national wildlife conservation group, estimates there are up to 20,000 big cats owned privately across North America. Historically, their range ran from the southern tip of Chile up to the northern edges of the Yukon. Whether they're called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, breeding population in the western U.S and, a ccording to both the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, transient western cougars have been spotted in both states since 2015. Never turn your back or crouch down. Frequently found in canals, streams, and rivers in the eastern region of the sate, alligators are a silent force to be feared. Most are residents claiming to have video evidence or have seen tracks. "But we just don't haveany hard evidence.". Colorado has a large number of mountain lions within its borders, mostly due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. There are a lot of instances of someone trying to mess with us, or theyre messing with a buddy, and the buddy sends it to us thinking its real, he said. The video appeared only weeks after the first ever sighting confirmed by the TWRA since its founding in 1974, when a trail cam in Obion County snapped a photo of what biologists suspected was a young male cougar. What I set out to do was figure out habitat stability and dispersal corridors into the midwest, said LaRue, a research assistant in the earth sciences department at the University of Minnesota who studies mountain lions. 40 views, 0 likes, 3 loves, 17 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mountain View Church: April 16th, 2023 The Cascade Mountains are an important habitat for mountain lions in the region, and a stable population lives within the state. Stories about mountain lions go viral these days, thanks to easy internet access. There haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s. Then Europeans came to North Carolina and, in a themethat has been repeated around the globe, the state's top apex predator was deemed a threat to humans and livestock and exterminated. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high elk population, dense forests, and isolated mountain ranges. Eastern cougars (Puma concolor cougar)are a subspecies of mountain lion and were the cats that roamed the state. But the reportalso notes that 12 cougar sightings were reported in the national park between 1908-65, and another 31 between 1966-76. He envisions calls from parents, too afraid to send their kids out to the bus stop knowing theres a mountain lion within miles of the area. There are mountain lions in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but wildlife officials still call them extinct and haven't done much to support their populations. All the territories are basically taken up so they have to go somewhere else, and somewhere else happens to be the Midwest.. Kocka, who predicts that hell be retired long before cougars establish a population in Virginia, said it will change things., There will be dynamics that people have no concept of, he said. They exclusively populated western states for decades, but according to LaRue, some shifts in hunting regulations began to change things about 50 years ago: lions were switched from the bounty hunter category to a game species managed by the states. An increasing number of North Carolina residents believe the Eastern Cougar has returned. For an outdoor enthusiast, North Carolina is pure paradise. The 'terrifying' viewpoint of the shark takes on a dismal reality when the number of shark attacks is still somewhat low, but this does not mean that bites are not reported. Koehler, for one, remains convinced at least one mountain lion inhabits these parts. The Midwest can offer two of the three, but the males dont have much luck repopulating the area on their own. N.C. Wildlife Resources officials told the Charlotte Observer that Eastern Cougars are an extinct species of large cat that is now only found in part of Florida. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. The female hangs upside down from her web. I saw a mountain lion, and thats just the way it is, said Marchibroda, a dentist in her 60s living in Afton, Virginia. Although these females and calf are smaller, adult bull elk can weigh 700 pounds. And sightings of wild cougars persist, especially in Western North Carolina. Mountain lion populations struggle to outpace the high hunting limits. But the thing about mountain lions is that females dont travel as far or as often, and when they disperse they dont go very far or very well.. With healthy populations and strong conservation programs, however, they seem to be pushing back east. There is no known estimate of the number of mountain lions inhabiting Texas. There are countless game and trail cameras out in the woods ofSouth Carolina at any given time, and nobody has photographed a large cat, yet these animals do show up on game camerasin states that have cougars, said Butfiloski, who believes the trail camera footage from Ladys Island shows a house cat. Their presence in North Carolina is often the result of strong easterly winds. The eastern cougar, however, was declared extinct in 2011. News outlets picked up the story and the video went viral, and its easy to understand whyaccording to TWRA regional manager Alan Peterson, that video marked only the second confirmed cougar sighting in Tennessee in more than 100 years. The animal started running so I decided to run and get away and jump in the river to get across to the other side, Fletcher told The State. The Golden State has one of the largest populations of mountain lions in the country. Additionally, California banned the hunting of cougars back in 1972, encouraging population growth. The first is the mating season which can occur during the late to early spring months. History of Large Cats in South Carolina First, for clarity, the panther has many names, including puma, cougar and mountain lion-all of these names refer to the same animal in North America. Some actually believe mountain lion sightings in South Carolina can be attributed to the Florida panther, the only surviving subspecies of eastern cougar. Her views represent another twist in the ecological controversy. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Luckily, the big cats probably wont pose a serious threat to public safety when they do appear in South Carolina, according to Butfiloski. The man-of-war is commonly mistaken for jellyfish. Ever encountered any dangerous wildlife in North Carolina? It was a female mountain lion.. Do Mountain Lions Attack Humans? Depending on where you live, you may know them as pumas, panthers, cougars, or catamounts. Cougar vs Mountain Lion What Are the Differences? Half of rattlesnake bites occur out of accident, mainly someone stepping on the snake. It hasnt been reported exactly how many man-o-war have washed up throughout the years, but, in one year alone, 20-30 were found on Corolla Beach. Are There Mountain Lions In North Carolina? According to Perry, western mountain lions have established breeding populations in South Dakota, Nebraska, and North Dakota in the last 25 years. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. But biologists have not found any physical evidence that the cats still call North Carolina home. But they also need places to hide as they stalk their prey. Eastern cougars are not a distinct species genetically. Managing them in that way allowed for populations to rebound, and thats what we think is fueling the dispersal. Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once common here and they have left a legacy of place names throughout the state indeed, the entire Southeast. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. There have also been several sightings at Clemson University over the years. North Carolina state biologist Brad Howard said in a report that we would have stronger evidence if the large cats were still living in the state. It is also not uncommon to find them in dark areas, such as a garages. And they have some black accents. Currently, there are only 15 states that meet that qualification. They go hiking in the Rockies all the time and people still dont see them very often.. According to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, there hasn't been "substantiated evidence" of wild cougars anywhere in the state since the late 1800s. I actually drove out to the apartment and noticed some large tracks in the mud, said Jenkins, who didnt take photos of the tracks or file an official report. Mountain lions thrive there due to the high. One of her biggest concerns about the recent declaration of extinction is that any cats in the area (whether western migrants or otherwise) and their habitats wouldnt be protected. Wildlife isnt the only danger facing residents, and to prove it, here are the most dangerous cities in North Carolina. They like rugged terrain with forest cover. Is it a change in the regime their [sic]? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Yet, it still doesn't disperse the 'big cat mystery' that has been witnessed, and photographed throughout the state. Swarms of man-o-wars are clearly whats to be most feared of these creatures and also, quite possibly, how they got their rep as one of the scariest not jellyfish in the sea and some of the most dangerous animals in North Carolina. In fact, there have been 121 reports that are likely to have been true mountain lion sightings. North Carolina is pure paradise. It was a little too big to be a bobcat.. Mountain lions are large, tan cats. If you want instant wildlife-footage you can either skip to the 3:27 mark, or you can just go on to the next video. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. "People want to believe there are mysterious animals out there, and few animals captivate the imagination like the mythical Carolina panther does," she said. Looked and there in the park in 2001 or pushed out of accident, mainly someone stepping the... Common names a subspecies of cougar that has lived in the Lowcountry in 1930 in Tennessee, new Brunswick 1932. Are the three types of rattlesnakes found in the Americas result of strong easterly...., you may know them as pumas, panthers, cougars, pumas, and what... Back in 1972, encouraging population growth found throughout Arizona, and were! 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