Inevitably, the New England states will acknowledge that they have some mountain lions.. And even the home entries are kind of changing. Police have a warning after there were multiple mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. Live Now All times eastern. Although mountain lions were part of Nebraska's native fauna, they were extirpated by the end of the 19th century. Fight back. But what about the sightings in Connecticut that are made by experienced outdoorsmen and women, people who know the difference between bobcats and mountain lions? The Mountain Lion is a large, slender cat with a smallish head and noticeably long tail. 2012). McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. You can subscribe to Connecticut Magazine here, or find the current issue on sale here. 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. These tips include carrying safety equipment and walking . However, the National Wildlife Federation notes that the mountain lions range spreads all across the Americas, from the Canadian Yukon to The Strait of Magellan, making it the greatest range of any living mammal in the Americas.. 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. A lifelong Connecticut resident, Nicole has a degree in Communications from Fairfield University. "We get calls about mountain lions all the time, but they turn out to be unprovable," Brown told the Independent in March. Weight: 160 lbs. Last week was no different, as various reports began trickling in of a mountain lion roaming around, in of all places, Greenwich, Conn. In cities, smaller towns, and even sparsely inhabited areas, there is simply not enough large prey for mountain lions to survive on. '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. No, there are no mountain lions in CT, and there havent been for quite some time. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. He drove me out to the spot. The next week, on June 11, the cat was hit and killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford. According to wildlife biologist Jason Hawley, the lack of evidence of mountain lions in Connecticut is the evidence. You cansubscribe here, orfind the current issue on sale here. The gate of a bobcat can often make it look like it has a long tail. Mountain Lions in the State of Texas In Texas, it's always open season on mountain lions. You can highlight your store locations with custom colors and elements. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. It was a flooded area. 75-170 pounds. Speaker Bill Betty presented evidence and proposed theories that could prove that Connecticut, including, is home to a native population of Eastern mountain lions. Despite annual reports since the 1950s, no confirmed sighting was made in the state until the 1990s. 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. The state adds bobcats are often active this time of year, making sightings much more likely. The photo is black and white. Uscinski, a Connecticut native, adds that the theory that the government is covering up the existence of mountain lions is likely motivated by a distrust of authority. They reside in all eight counties, however, they exist in greatest number in the northwestern corner of the state. It provided absolutely irrefutable proof that a wild Mountain Lion, at least occasionally, can make its way to New England. He was previously a reporter for the Danbury News-Times and the Ridgefield Press. A couple things to keep in mind if you come across or see a big cat like a Mountain Lion: 1. There also should have been evidence of animals killed by the predators and roadkill. According to authorities, the mountain lion was reportedly seen on Friday including on Salem Road and near Pease Road. That had to be a mountain lion. A fourth cougar sighting in recent days was reported near the New Canaan border Thursday, according to Animal Control officer Allyson Halm. Woodbridge police shared tips for if you encounter a big cat: On Friday July 8, 2022 there was a few reported Mountain Lion sightings the last few days one actually involving an encounter with ones family in their lawn. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . Genetic testing placed the animal in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the cat had been sighted at several different points during its long journey east. I might also add that I notified the State wildlife division about evidence of a bear in my neighborhood in Windham County and never received even an acknowledgement. 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. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it, he recalls. Collection. Mountain Lions can be found in Orange County throughout the Santa Ana Mountain Range down to the foothills and canyons directly connected to them. Police have a warning after there were multiple mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. COMPARED TO A HOUSE CAT Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. 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. 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. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. From Litchfield County, can confirm. Mountain lion Over 7 ft in length Over 100 lbs Uniform tan color Long tails Bobcat Under 3ft in length Under 50lbs Dark spots Tufts of fur in ears These 2 big cats also behave differently. 5. It had rained previously. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. The Department of Environmental. Bobcats dont shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. But the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Sunday that. Hey, I know what I saw. 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. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. Emaileditor@connecticutmag.com, or contact usonFacebook@connecticutmagazine orTwitter@connecticutmag. More sightings that Halm deemed credible came in 2018 from Nursery, Marvin Ridge and Briscoe Roads.. Halm noted that the route between the two recent sightings appears to be straight south. It is also the most common wild cat found in North America. Put your arms over your head with a jacket or sweatshirt. Therefore, there are no western and eastern species to differentiate between. One on Salem Rd and another in the area of Pease Rd in our town. Mountain lions are about half the size of lions, but they can run up to 50 mph while lions can run only 37 mph. For decades, wildlife experts should have been seeing occasional scat and paw prints in the winter. She said the size made her do a double take and indeed she seen it had a very long tail, Bullsh** Do not bend, squat, or sit down. I agreeI am a person with very good knowledge of animals and know the distinct differences between closely related species in some cases to scare it off. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. But sometimes, instead of mountain lions, people thought they saw other creatures in the Connecticut woods, of which authorities were supposedly aware. Contrary to traditional thought, population. After all, if one mountain lion had wandered here, didnt that mean that others could have? 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. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . Mountain lions are also great jumpers and swimmers. This post was contributed by a community member. The big cat traveled some 1,100 miles before his life came to a tragic end after being hit by a SUV on Route 15 in . Since cougars are the second largest cat in North America and a natural predator, they can pose a threat. 6. According to DEEP the bobcat is the only confirmed species of wild cat in CT as of 2022. Description. Are There a Lot of Spiders in Connecticut? Running joke in the family when we see one is "But of course it wasn't a Mountain Lion, because there are no Mountain Lions in CT". 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. 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. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. 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