Five summers ago, a mountain lion made regional headlines after it was photographed in Greenwich and later struck and killed by a motor vehicle on the parkway in Milford a young male that DEEP officials determined through DNA evidence had traveled east all the way from South Dakota. We get a lot of pictures sent to us, and people say, I took this picture of a mountain lion in my backyard. And Ill look at it, and to me, its clearly a bobcat, Hawley said. (UPDATE, JANUARY 19, 2022) The Great Falls Police Department said on Wednesday morning that the mountain lion that has been lurking around town for the last . Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. Bobcats typically have brown fur with a reddish tinge that is marked with black or brown spots or stripes, according to the National Zoo. 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. 2. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . 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. 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Below is an evolving list of Connecticut natives and state prep school football players in the Class of 2023 who have signed letters of intent to play football in college. Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest and greatest content delivered right to your inbox. Weve got a growing bear population. Mountain Lions:100 all the way up to 200 pounds, Mountain Lions:Can grow up to 6 feet long. Due to mountain lions large size, they require larger meals. Wait a minute--there was a sighting in New London County a few years back, and my wife read an article about a mountain lion or cougar being struck by a vehicle in Milford a few years back. Do not bend, squat, or sit down. They also want to foster the formation and protection of migration pathways for them and other animals to enter new states. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. Over a period of a year and a half, this mountain lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. They also generally have spots on their fur. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. The photo is black and white. While he might feel like that well known movie character who was doubted at first, Bachelder is confident it was a cougar. 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.. Even in parts of the country where there are documented breeding populations of mountain lions, there are still many false reports. She said the size made her do a double take and indeed she seen it had a very long tail, Bullsh** When we lived in Suffield, we had MANY Mountain Lion sightings.probably 4-5 sightings (which qualifies as many to me) and they were definitely not Bobcats, @Craig, what town is Wtn? It was a spotless cat she estimated at close to 100 pounds. to scare it off. Live Now All times eastern. Copyright 2023 The Connecticut Explorer | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Connecticut Explorer Home Find Things to do in CT. The tail may have one to several indistinct dark bands and a tip that is black on top and whitish below. Hawley: Wildlife biologists across the United States know where the current mountain lion range is. 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, Serious crash closes CT stretch of I-95 South, state police say, Fairfield man charged in alleged high-speed chase, shootout, CT Capitol police arrest 14 people following peaceful protest, DCF denies 'deficiencies' cited in report on CT child deaths, Suspect in 2021 fatal shooting arrested, Hamden police say, Police warn of spike in vehicle thefts in CT town, Elicker presents $662.7m budget that would raise spending $29.5m, Norwalk council hears call for school spending, delays budget cap, NJ man faces more charges in alleged money laundering scheme, Late West Haven audit sees vulnerabilities for more fraud, several have reportedly been spotted around the Woodbridge area this month, one that was killed on the Merritt Parkway in 2011, U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service, mountain lions became extinct in Connecticut in the 1800s, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. Conserving Tolland President and founder Roseann Kellner Gottier said that the issue has become important for the region and is glad the lecture was well-attended. Black panthers, which are not found in the U.S., are actually black jaguars or leopards. And there are different schools of thought about that. He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. Canton and Simsbury have also had about 70 sightings. If it really comes down to it do what you have to do to deter it from following you. Mountain lions were hunted to extinction near the end of the 19th century. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. By, March 2023 Fund Drive Rules and Regulations, Persons with disabilities who need assistance accessing NHPR's FCC public files, please contact us at publicfile@nhpr.org. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. 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. Stay facing the animal and try not to turn your back to it. This can trigger a chase. Want to post on Patch? Breweries in New Haven, CT you MUST Visit! We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. I agreeI am a person with very good knowledge of animals and know the distinct differences between closely related species in some cases A quick Google search reveals that the theory is not limited to Connecticut and similar tales are told throughout the Northeast. 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. You can highlight your store locations with custom colors and elements. This article appeared in theNovember 2019issue ofConnecticut Magazine. Hey, I know what I saw. The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. Population estimates are thought to be around 20 individuals which is considered caring capacity based on the amount of land and . Have a map downloaded. 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. For mountain lions in Connecticut, a lack of evidence is very good evidence. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . However, because they are capable of traveling great distances, they have turned up in all parts of North Dakota. Posted on Published: November 4, 2022- Last updated: December 28, 2022. The large cat was seen on Hoyt Farm Road not far from Route 123 near the Norwalk-New Canaan border. Adult males typically weigh between 18 and 35 pounds and measure from 32 to 37 inches in length. 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. In 1991 mountain lion tracks were found . Then in June 2011, there were reports of a mountain lion in Greenwich and, for the first time, a photo. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. They are also known as . Mistaken reports of mountain lions are most commonly bobcats. 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. Betty later showed maps covered with dots, each of which represented sightings of mountain lions in Connecticut and the rest of New England. Make yourself big -- do not bend, squat or sit down. A mountain lion in winter. It had rained previously. A harvest is kind of twofold. 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? 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. This is the mountain lion that was hit by a car in Milford after several sightings in the Greenwich area. 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. 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? McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. Following the recent death of a mountain lion in Milford, and several reported. building a betterand more civilConnecticut to live, work, and play. 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". Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. Seeing a wild cat can be both frightening and exciting, and its common for people to make mistakes in identification, as all most people are used to seeing is the common housecat. 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. We have had five coyotes crossing through our yard in the past few weeks, and one even lingers around our property and the neighbors. Mountain lions are about half the size of lions, but they can run up to 50 mph while lions can run only 37 mph. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it, he recalls. I reported it to the DEP and they said they dont exist, he said. My buddy told me he saw one in our hometown (in litchfield county) 10 or so years ago and I called bullshit. ', 'Saturday Night Live' skit with Woody Harrelson takes place at Naval Submarine Base New London, Bo Hickey, former New Canaan hockey, football coach and NFL player, has died. Bobcats: Though technically a type of lynx, they are distinct from other species of lynx such as the Canadian lynx. Ive been doing this for 40 years. However, Hawley noted that Eastern bobcats tend to have very few spots compared to bobcats that are out west or even in the Midwest. If they have spots, they are typically in the white, underside part of the bodies or on the insides of their legs. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. 105 of 119 106 of 119 A dead mountain lion, killed on the Merritt Parkway in Milford in June 2011. Five summers ago, a mountain lion made regional headlines after it was photographed in Greenwich and later struck and killed by a motor vehicle on the parkway in Milforda young male that DEEP officials determined through DNA evidence had traveled east all the way from South Dakota. Bachelder said he did a double take Friday evening when he looked out the back window of his home on Pease Road. 6. Last week was no different, as various reports began trickling in of a mountain lion roaming around, in of all places, Greenwich, Conn. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. But as Eastern cougar search efforts became more organized and still there were no concrete signs of the creatures, many became more skeptical. "We have yet to see anything that suggests they're around here." 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. Weight: 70-170 lbs. The last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut occurred in 2011. 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. 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. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. Im no wilderness expert, but it sure looked like a mountain lion to me, he said. He explains that we frequently overestimate the size of animals in the wild, particularly ones we are afraid of. 5:30 PM . So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the . Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. For decades, wildlife experts should have been seeing occasional scat and paw prints in the winter. Be as loud as you can paired with being as big as you can. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. Fight back. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 Most mountain lion sightings are reported without any evidence other than eyewitness descriptions. 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. We have rolling hills, and more importantly, 200,000 white tails. State wildlife experts say those big cats have been extinct in Connecticut for more than 100 years. And follow us on Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag. According to authorities, the mountain lion was reportedly seen on Friday including on Salem Road and near Pease Road. community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years. NOW - 4:30 PM. It provided absolutely irrefutable proof that a wild Mountain Lion, at least occasionally, can make its way to New England. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. In 2016, a woman reported seeing a mountain lion on a Fox Run Road property in New Canaan, though state officials said they were unable to confirm the sighting based on paw prints left by the animal. Didnt it? There also should have been evidence of animals killed by the predators and roadkill. Or at least theyre not supposed to be. Slowly, mountain lions recolonized North America after having retreated to warmer climates in South America during the Pleistocene ice age. Do not run. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. The state explains any cougar evidence, such as the recent mountain lion, under one of three theories: a subspecies relic of the Eastern mountain lion; a Western cougar that migrated to the area; or an escaped or abandoned pet. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Here are the Winter Storm Anthony snowfall totals so far, Melting Pot restaurant in Darien closes down. But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. Sighting of this animal also occurred in Michigan and New York. 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. Genetic testing placed the animal in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the cat had been sighted at several different points during its long journey east. Re (2): Mountain Lion sighting in Brookfield ct - By Ryan January 31, 2016 at 11:16:51 PM. In some versions, state officials dont want to alarm people about the feline predators in their midst. Connecticut Dept. Roadkills can be reported to 860-424-3011. Speaker Bill Betty presented evidence and proposed theories that could prove that Connecticut, including, is home to a native population of Eastern mountain lions. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. 2 Last 5 Years. 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. of Energy and Environmental Protection. She had seen an animal on foot in broad daylight. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. WOODBRIDGE Police are offering tips after they said there have been several mountain lion sightings in town. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. 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. Jan. 6, 2016 Updated: Jan. 6, . The state says no, theyre extinct, that cant be. Height at shoulder: 25-30 in. He also quoted the work of geneticist Melanie Culver, who has proven that all North American puma species are genetically virtually identical. and last updated 8:18 AM, Jan 21, 2022. Tandmlally@yahoo.com. Bobcats are most frequently misidentified by the public as mountain lions, but theyre not the only animals mislabeled. 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. Report a Moose Sighting Select the link above to report your sighting. 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. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. You really couldnt ask for a better place for mountain lions.. Officially, the last mountain lions were hunted to extinction here in the late 1800s. 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. There was a sighting near the Brunswick School on June 5. 75-170 pounds. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. (https://wildlifeinformer.com/what-to-do-if-you-encounter-a-mountain-lion/). The Department of Environmental. Re (3): Mountain Lion sighting in Brookfield ct - By weather01089 February 1, 2016 at 04:55:52 PM. They are very bold. So why does the conspiracy theory that theyre here in significant numbers persist? Have a question or comment? He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons. He published his first book in 1959, The Ghost of North America: The Story of the Eastern Panther. mountain lions in washington. And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. But Bachelder stresses he knows what he saw. I frankly have lost faith in some government institutions for this very reason. If you follow local news outlets and local social media pages, youll notice a common theme when it comes to wildlife sightings people often mistake one type of animal for another. Mountain lion spotted in Connecticut town On Monday, DEEP said that Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. Mostly shaded. Are these elusive cats prowling the East once again? Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. The whole trail is very . Thats only a fraction of the supposed sightings. A bill which would change the name to the Pequot River has full support from the Mashantucket Pequot and Eastern Pequot tribes, but the Mohegan Tribe has voiced concerns. He drove me out to the spot. 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The Division also collects carcasses of road-killed bobcats as part of the study. Icould hear the panic in my wifes voice. The last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut occurred in 2011. So, now that youve got the answer on whether or not mountain lions can be found in CT, lets talk about which wild cats are more likely to be seen here. (Throughout history, people have had a deep fear of these creatures, hounding and hunting them mercilessly.) Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. A young male was hit and killed by a car several years ago, but. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. Do Not Approach! Not long after, what was believed to be the same mountain lion was struck and killed on Route 15 in Milford. Although common at the time of European settlement, the last known historical specimen in Missouri was killed in the Bootheel area in 1927. There have been no "confirmed" reports of mountain lions, AKA Puma concolor, in Pennsylvania since the late 1800s. 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. Meanwhile, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a big cat seen recently in A fourth cougar sighting in recent days was reported near the New Canaan border Thursday, according to Animal Control officer Allyson Halm. Sighting reports of bobcats will help biologists gain an understanding of the current state population. The New Hampshire Department of Justice is pursuing civil charges against two members of the hate group for allegedly hanging a racist banner in Portsmouth last summer. Hey, I know what I saw. All rights reserved. It was a flooded area. 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. Mountain lion fur is unspotted and tan-brown . From family fun to restaurants and everything in between, everything you need to know about CT is right here. 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. Its extremely rare for a person to see a wild animal and to underestimate its size. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. Bobcats don't shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. She was also the voice behind the weekly Connecticut Real Estate newsletter by CT Insider. On June 11, 2011, in Milford, CT, a mountain lion was killed by a motor vehicle. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. After all, if one mountain lion had wandered here, didnt that mean that others could have? A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. Certainly, bobcats are much larger than housecats, but they are not nearly the size of cougars. That had to be a mountain lion. It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Theres something in human nature to overestimate the size of wild animals we see, especially if we get a brief glance and if the animal is moving. He adds, Bobcats can get pretty large and some people believe they should have pretty visible spots and very often theyre pretty uniform in color. This is especially true in the summer, when my wifes sighting occurred. Reports of mountain lion sitings in Matunuck and the Great Swamp Management Area date back to at least 2004, but have never been confirmed by state officials. For decades afterward, there were reported sightings of the mythical creature prowling the woods around town. (My wife didnt get a look at the tail.) But honest misidentifications are more common. The big cat. 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? An adult male bobcat can reach four feet in length and 35 to 40 pounds. Abbott believes it is possible that more mountain lions such as the one that was killed in Milford in 2011 could migrate here. Possible mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge, Mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. Bobcats dont shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. But what might be his most compelling argument is that since this is Connecticut, the budget is too limited. 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Re ( 3 ): mountain lion, killed on the Merritt Parkway in Milford Connecticut!