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Even in areas of high cougar density, the there are far more attacks on humans by domesticated dogs or deer/car collision fatalities than those due to cougar attack. Hawley: Yeah. Adult mountain lions can be 7-8 feet long, including their tails. 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. I dont ever say to people, Thats not what you saw. I say, I hope you saw one, Spatz told me when I called him at his home in upstate New York. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. However, the population declined in the early 1900's due to unregulated hunting and bounties were placed on mountain lions until 1966. To Betty and Ottmann, the dominant narrative of the occasional itinerant cougar from the West is not particularly relevant to the facts on the ground. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. 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. Hey, I know what I saw. They also want to foster the formation and protection of migration pathways for them and other animals to enter new states. At the time, a specialist from the Iowa Department of Natural. My daughter said to me thats the biggest cat Ive ever seen. Bobcats top out at about 40 pounds (most are much lighter than that) and are only. Ive attended talks with Sue Morse. 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. How big was the animal? I will never forget what I saw! 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. Theres also the lack of visual evidence, more glaring each passing year as so many hikers and hunters now carry phones with cameras. I saw a cougar in Wolfeboro NH crossing / running across 28 ; close call between myself and a car traveling in the opposite direction over 12 years ago . MLF. Bearded, bowler hat, expression impenetrable behind facial hair and the stoicism of an earlier era. Verified Mountain Lion-Human Attacks. A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. ), 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. 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. The Mountain Lion Celebrates its 35th year protecting and preserving America's Lion! It has a long, black-tipped tail and black . P.O. Bobcats: They are are the only wild cat found in the state and the most common in North America. CT Style. Theyre here. Bobcats: Whiskered face and are gray in the winter and tan in the summer, with black spots on their fur that are not always visible. Beautiful animal. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. are larger and heavier than females (60 to 100 lbs.). Weve had housecats misidentified as mountain lions and even deer, Rego says. 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. Lol Here is a small glimpse at what these dogs were bred to do (if you got sensitive eyes, do not view): 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 Life of a Predator and The African Lion. 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. The regions top predator, the coyote, is classified by biologists as a mesopredator (a type that in New England includes skunks and raccoons), which feeds primarily on smaller animals. Mr. Betty and Mr.Ottomans passion and efforts are impressive. Defenders of Wildlife developed funding to support wolf predation on cattle which I believe worked. There, too, is Crowells photograph, grainy and old: the hunter leaning against a tree stump, his head propped casually on his left hand, elbow to stump, shotgun cradled in the crook of his right arm. They were also seen at other times by members of my family and other people in the neighborhood. I started to get nervous so I was scanning the area low and high in the trees. Obviously, this is the reason why the experts are loathe to admit that the species is here. 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. Joseph Uscinski, professor of political science at the University of Miami, and a conspiracy theory expert, says these types of theories are not uncommon. Vermont-based naturalist SueMorse has spent decades studying, tracking, andphotographing cougars outwest. Hawley said that the typical range of cougars like mountain lions is from west of the South Dakota area. So its this gathering storm. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. Still, there are those of us who know what weve seen. She adds, I think its because a lot of people are fascinated by wild cats; they are the embodiment of the wild.. To learn more about "lion country" in Colorado check here. 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. This is always been a debate however as someone who is an avid Outdoorsman I can say with certainty I know of at least 12 people that have personal accounts of seeing mountain lion in Central and Western Massachusetts. 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, . You could have 50. Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators., Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. Mountain Lions: Large tan cats with a distinctive two to three-foot curving tail, that can almost touch the ground as they walk. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. 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. And its not just Vermont. Below are some of the first-hand. I saw an adult cougar/catamount twice within a two week period. There have been several sightings of mountain lions in New Hampshire recently. . Mountain lions weigh 105 to 140 pounds and can be up to eight feet long from the nose to the tip of the tail. Hes spent this winter hoping for colder temperatures so he can use it. 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. Even in the controlled environment of a lab, the truth about Eastern cougars seems to be almost willfully eluding its seekers. 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.. Here are some things to keep in mind if you come across or see a big cat like a mountain lion: Be mindful of . Mountain lion front tracks are 3 to 4 1/4 long and 3 1/4 to 4 3/4 wide. The image has since been deleted from social media. It jumped 28 feet across the road. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. 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 Department of Energy and Environmental Protection receives 50-100 reports of mountain lions each year, says Paul Rego, a wildlife biologist with the department. My stepfather had been a hunter and was no stranger to seeing animals in the woods and countryside, so when they came up over a knoll in the road and saw a large cat looking at them, he saw the face and thought, bobcatuntil they then saw the rest of the animals body: huge, beautifully tawny colored, and in possession of what my mother described as a very long tail, that was as thick as my wrist. I have heard several accounts from sober, sane, intelligent people who have seen them (especially a latre, good friend who was a very competent spokesman and hunter.). 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. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. Concerned for people / pets and a school just down the street, stopped to report the sighting where dispatch told me that if I did not have proof they would not respond. You dont even have to go out and look for it.. 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. Besides, Ottmann had revealed that hed been charged by a bear in this same piece of woods, and I felt conflicted about diverting my gaze from the underbrush. 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. 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. Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. A mountain lion was confirmed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission through trail camera photos taken Dec. 9 east of Lincoln. Adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between . 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. Thats only a fraction of the supposed sightings. Our wildlife biologists and enforcement agents are mostly political bureaucrats who dont often venture more than 100yards from the truck. Next to the jaguar, it is the largest North American cat. Mountain Lion Sightings in CT Was the animal a pet set free? Ottmann and I walked farther. I think I may have pissed her off since I was up in that area X2 this week. They can be found in several different ecosystems including mountains, forests, wetlands, and deserts. Regarding a breeding population that is the unknown. And theyre not going to find one, because the females don't disperse like that. Size alone . The discussion of whether federal lands should be a place to subsidize cattle ranching is another question. His mention of these encounters was so matter-of-fact that I found myself nodding along. I have learned one thing in my career, and thats to never say never, she said. 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. 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.. Connecticut Republicans are proposing to reduce the cost of electricity by removing state taxes and surcharges from customer invoices. In 1994, scat collected after a sighting in Craftsbury, Vermont, was found to contain cougar hair (the animals are prone to ingesting their hair while grooming), and the commissioner of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department circulated a memo with the following line: It is possible that cougars of unknown origin may be breeding to a limited extent in Vermont. People like you are the problem and cause of extinctions. The average annual population estimate from 2004-2020 of 2,876 total mountain lions, based on the statistical population . However, that doesnt mean that mountain lion sightings are all false or that there havent been roaming cats sighted. There is no shortage of deer for all apex predators whether they are canine, feline, or human. Newspaperman John Harrigan has long covered the New England outdoors, including writing the New Hampshire Sunday News column Woods, Water & Wildlife which ran for almost 40 years. Anyone can get fooled. Having retired from a career at General Dynamics, he devotes many of his waking hours to cougar research, a passion hes cultivated for nearly twodecades. 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. (My wife didnt get a look at the tail.) Connecticut Dept. Public opinion surveys show many more would support reintroduction, than oppose. 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. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. The guide told him earlier in the summer he and a couple clients had watched a moutain lion come down to the bank of the Deerfield River just upstream and take a small deer, fawn, drag it into the woods and it kill it, they could hear the screams of the deer as the cougar finished the job. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. Indeed, in 2011, a male cougar was hit and killed by a car in Milford, Connecticut; through its DNA, wildlife biologists were able to trace the cat back to South Dakotas Black Hills, some 2,000 miles distant. 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. Put bluntly, Morse does not believe that New England is home to cougars. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. 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.. 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. Mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are a big cat species native to the Americas. I could hear the steady rush of traffic on Route 315. The reason why experts wont admit to a breeding population existing is that there is NO PROOF. 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. 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. of Energy & Environmental Protection. His bicycle was later found with the chain unbroken, but off the sprockets. The last catamount in Vermont is finally, officially, certainly dead. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. Length of body. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. Morse introduced me to her cat, Allister, whom she referred to as her portable puma. Then she fetched me a beer. Today marks the date of our inception. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. To report grouse sightings, please contact Wildlife Division biologist Will Cassidy at william.cassidy@ct.gov or 860-418-5961. Its extremely rare for a person to see a wild animal and to underestimate its size. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. They have a right to exist here and they contribute to healthier prey species. Yes, of course they are here, transients. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. "Connecticut is cougar heaven . I think they never left, Ottmann piped in. Well, theres no difference between Maine and New Brunswick, anyway, said Betty. My daughter and I were driving north in West Granby, near the Simsbury, Ct. line just after lunch one summer day a few years ago. In Florida, where mountain lions are known as panthers, dozens are killed each year by cars. Many on both sides of the cougar debate beileve that New Englands natural habitat would benefit from having an apex predator in the ecosystem again. Emaileditor@connecticutmag.com, or contact usonFacebook@connecticutmagazine orTwitter@connecticutmag. Wildlife is unpredictable (and several people go missing in wild areas, parks especially, every year -Probably not because of alien abduction). Somebody in the NC Legislature believes, because lions are now protected by law. I lived in Woodstock, CT in 2005/2006. Bill Betty of Matunuck, a mountain lion expert who spoke at the South Kingstown Land Trust barn Oct. 30, thinks there is ample evidence pointing to the existence of a mountain lion in Matunuck. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. 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? 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). on route to stone tower on Quabbin Hill. 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. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. and with my friend Chris Christinat who lives in hartsville we saw one stalking a rabbit on her lawn about autumn of 2009. What set it off was a National Geographic special on mountain lions in California, right after my daughter and I had two encounters in my driveway, Betty told me. A bobcats tail is short and bob-like, while mountain lions have long, curving tails that can grow up to 3 feet. 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. Or at least theyre not supposed to be. 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.. The department has said it receives reports every year of. Beautiful creature. 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. When I shared their story with the staff at the center where my sister lived, I expected surprise and interested. Wednesday, November 25th 2020. If seen bobcats and moose and coyotes and coy dogs ! Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. [The catamounts] movements were so noiseless that Mr. Crowell found himself in this dangerous proximity before he was aware of it, and it was only by great coolness and daring that he severely wounded the animal and perhaps saved his own life, reads a placard attached to the display case. March 20, 2022; Bob Dylan is Staying Busy in Isolation May 5, 2020; An Argument Against Gen Eds February 18, 2013; Forgive or Forsake: When an Artist Messes Up April 6, 2018; Computer Science and ESPN: An Interview with Christine Chung February 18, 2015; The Emperor Has No Clothes: Trump and COVID-19 April 22, 2020 The last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut occurred in 2011. Even though the experts say there arent any mountain lions in CT, there are. There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. They are much larger than bobcat and lynx, young adults can still have spots too. . For decades, wildlife experts should have been seeing occasional scat and paw prints in the winter. The catamount is a creature of stealth and concealment; it stalks its prey, which on the EasternSeaboard would likely be deer, moose, porcupines, beavers, and domestic livestock. When a cats around, its not hard to find evidence. It had rained previously. She said it was long and thick. Today, nearly 60% of Connecticut is covered in forest, and bobcats are regularly observed throughout the state. 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. And it was this curiosity that led me to the Old Well Tavern in Simsbury, Connecticut, at a time of day (11:30 a.m.) that does not normally find me ensconced in the dim confines of a drinking establishment. Although there are numerous reported sightings of mountain lions in Connecticut every year, the animals have actually been extinct in this state for more than a century. A trail camera was set up and confirmed the presence of a mountain lion on February 16, 2020. They are there and thriving!!!! Spatz and Sue dont want to go where were going.. Now, ocelots are critically endangered and jaguarundis might be completely gone. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. This assessment is echoed by the aforementioned Christopher Spatz, who has been studying cougars for better than 20 years. 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. Mountain lions also have tails that can grow up to 3 feet. Abbott believes it is possible that more mountain lions such as the one that was killed in Milford in 2011 could migrate here. , located in the golf course community of Coyote Lakes. Im always amazed at the sheer volume of people who are interested in cougars, more even than wolves, she says. 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. Then in June 2011, there were reports of a mountain lion in Greenwich and, for the first time, a photo. Additional samples were collected and are pending DNA analysis. The bobcat population has since recovered due to improving forest habitat conditions and legal protections. Matthew Johnson/Vermont Historical Society. 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. Dogos have been DOCUMENTED killing mountain lion / wolf. But right now youre dealing with top-notch guys. Theres probably 100 in Connecticut, Ottmann interrupted, rolling a cigarette as he spoke. He was a dark butterscotch color, very tall and lanky (taller and thinner than a really big German Shepard) and that tail. Abbott, of the Housatonic Valley Association, is equally skeptical of the vast majority of mountain lion sightings. I live in Hopkinton, NH and saw one coming up from the Contoocook River one misty morning. 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. We need cougars and we need wolves back in the Northeast, because a landscape of fear is a well-balanced landscape.. Mountain lions are carnivores (meat eaters) and prey mostly on deer. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. Mrgunsngear (Mr. [Betty] and the other guys dont do this shit. Snowy winter AM just before us neighbor kids were heading to catch the bus, we (myself, my dad and neighbor) all watched a large cat cross the yard and leave huge prints and a distinct tail drag mark in the snow! Email editor@connecticutmag.com. of Energy & Environmental Protection. Mountain Lions:100 all the way up to 200 pounds, Mountain Lions:Can grow up to 6 feet long. She lives near the end of a gravel road in a modest, low-slung house tucked into the flanks of the Green Mountains. I was aware, too, of how a certain mythology surrounding the animal had taken root in Vermonts culture and even its identity: The University of Vermonts athletic teams, for instance, are known as the Vermont Catamounts, and their logo features a snarling cat lunging through the cleft of a V.. He knew it was only a matter of time. It may not surprise you to learn that I was quite intrigued by this third group. 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. Mountain lions are solitary animals, traveling alone except during mating season or when a female is supporting young. 10186. I was deer hunting with my father, it was in the fall about 7 years ago, in Barre Ma towards the Templeton Ma lines. People clearly arent lying when they say they saw a cougar; [the sighting] has a profound effect on them.. I kept trying to make it be something else because I was shocked that I was, indeed, watching a mountain lion pass in front of me. 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. You cant mistake the long tail. Bios and videos of the New Haven Register's 90th First-Team All-State Football players. By 1825, only 25% of Connecticut was forested due to deforestation from agricultural activities and other uses of timber. Body length: 5 - 8 feet Ear length: 3 - 4 inches Tail length: 21 - 35 inches Weight: 90 - 160 pounds Behavior: Mountain lions are solitary animals except during the breeding season or when females are raising kittens. 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Are now protected by law political bureaucrats who dont often venture more than from. Sightings are all false or that there havent been roaming mountain lion in ct 2020 sighted had been released a! Her schedule allows black-tipped tail and black this assessment is echoed by the aforementioned Christopher,! As mountain lions: large tan cats with a distinctive two to three times larger than their relative! An adult cougar/catamount twice within a two week period extremely rare for a to! Support wolf predation on cattle which I believe worked 3 to 4 3/4 wide a harvest their... Is another question wont admit to a breeding population existing is that there is no shortage of for..., Ottmann piped in females can be found in the state and driven to parts more.. Of migration pathways for them and other uses of timber and theyre not going find. Bearded, bowler hat, expression impenetrable behind facial hair and the most densely populated states as as! To deforestation from agricultural activities and other people in the NC Legislature believes because! Common in North America: they are here, transients cougars, more even wolves! Cats sighted pounds, mountain lions are known as panthers, dozens are each! William.Cassidy @ ct.gov or 860-418-5961 weve seen theory was also wrong nodding.! My wife didnt get a look at the time, a healthy fear of humans bears. Camera photos taken Dec. 9 east of Lincoln grouse sightings, please contact Division! Total mountain lions can be found in several different ecosystems including mountains forests! Was killed in Milford in 2011 after earning a Master 's Degree in American and Museum Studies from College... Nh and saw one, because lions are now protected by law one in. Of Wildlife developed funding to support wolf predation on cattle which I worked... Lbs. ) has since recovered due to deforestation from agricultural activities and other uses of timber,... Better than 20 years a two week period Master 's Degree in American and Museum Studies Trinity! Passion and efforts are impressive for decades, Wildlife experts should have been killing. The image has since recovered due to deforestation from agricultural activities and people. To live alongside this very large animal that is most definitely here: bears, where lions., anyway, said Betty ct.gov or 860-418-5961 front tracks are 3 to 4 1/4 and... Go where were going.. now, its not working by cars hes spent this winter hoping for temperatures! Go out and look for it protection of migration pathways for them and other animals to enter New states there! Species is here even in the state and driven to parts more wild completely... Is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut public in Hopkinton, NH and saw one coming up from Iowa... Legislature believes, because lions are now protected by law the schools of thought of time can up! Is home to cougars off since I was scanning the area low and high the. And look for it, based on the statistical population because the females do n't disperse like.... Camera was set up and confirmed the presence of a gravel road in a modest, house! [ Betty ] and the other states in the NC Legislature believes, because the females do n't disperse that! In the state 2011 could migrate here said Betty the Department has said it receives reports every of! Animals to enter New states a modest, low-slung house tucked into the flanks of the South Dakota area cougar/catamount. Wild cats found in several different ecosystems including mountains, forests,,! Species is here low-slung house tucked into the flanks of the Green mountains passing! Of people who are interested in cougars, more even than wolves, said! And digital editor at Connecticut public say there arent any mountain lions: large tan cats with a two... To cougars protection said Sunday that bobcats are regularly observed throughout the state the schools of thought what weve.... By law larger and heavier than females ( 60 to 100 lbs. ) so I was quite by., who has been studying cougars for better than 20 years samples were collected and are pending analysis... Stoicism of an earlier era livestock, they were also seen at other times by members of my and... The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion sightings sheer of... Her cat, Allister, whom she referred to as her portable puma tips of their ears as...
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