Make noise. Bobcats top out at about 40 pounds (most are much lighter than that) and are only. Habitat. Betty later showed maps covered with dots, each of which represented sightings of mountain lions in Connecticut and the rest of New England. Speaker Bill Betty presented evidence and proposed theories that could prove that Connecticut, including, is home to a native population of Eastern mountain lions. Connecticut Dept. A quick Google search reveals that the theory is not limited to Connecticut and similar tales are told throughout the Northeast. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. As far as the claim that mountain lions live in CT, as we address in the previous section, that has been debunked. And even the home entries are kind of changing. It provided absolutely irrefutable proof that a wild Mountain Lion, at least occasionally, can make its way to New England. In Florida, where mountain lions are known as panthers, dozens are killed each year by cars. Give it space to turn around without feeling threatened to get away from you and your family. Dont Run. Officially, the last mountain lions were hunted to extinction here in the late 1800s. Hey, I know what I saw. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. Jan. 6, 2016 Updated: Jan. 6, . Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. not all bobcats are heavily spotted either - just to add to the confusion.. Almost every state has some sort of legend of something thats hiding somewhere, he says. He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. Bobcat sightings are not uncommon in Connecticut. Beautiful trail! From Litchfield County, can confirm. Description. Booth DEEP and local authorities around Connecticut have confirmed that the majority of mountain lion sightings in the state turn out to be sightings of bobcats. 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. State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. 6. Sighting of this animal also occurred in Michigan and New York. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. Another important difference: bobcats are found in Connecticut while mountain lions are not. Adult males typically weigh between 18 and 35 pounds and measure from 32 to 37 inches in length. to scare it off. COMPARED TO A HOUSE CAT Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. However, lions are unpredictable and can be dangerous. Even so, for decades, skeptics dismissed mountain lion sightings in Connecticut out of hand, pointing out that if the cats were here in anywhere close to the number of reported sightings, there would be DNA and physical evidence of their presence, not to mention photos and videos. The 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 . Sightings can be reported to the McCall Fish and Game office at 208-634-8137. Copyright 2022 WFSB. Hi! 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. She was also the voice behind the weekly Connecticut Real Estate newsletter by CT Insider. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. There also should have been evidence of animals killed by the predators and roadkill. So theres fresh mud. Over time, this will help us evaluate problem areas, movement barriers for wildlife, and potential for human-puma conflict. They have been absent from this state since the late 1800s; however, there have been a few isolated sightings. It says genetic testing revealed that a mountain lion hit by a car and killed on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford on June 11, 2011 originated from South Dakota and had traveled to Connecticut though Wisconsin and Minnesota a distance of around 1,800 miles a record distance for a land mammal. 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. I couldnt tell you how happy I would be if mountain lions were actually recolonizing the state of Connecticut, Hawley says, but its just not happening., Hawley spoke about bobcats, mountain lions and bears on The Colin McEnroe Show: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators.. Have a question or comment? 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. 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. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. The Canada Lynxs geographic territory in New England only extends as far south as northern New Hampshire and parts of Maine, though. Didnt it? The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. Its important to stand your ground and not run or hide. An adult male bobcat can reach four feet in length and 35 to 40 pounds. Hawley said that the typical range of cougars like mountain lions is from west of the South Dakota area. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. Hunters and property owners have also set up tens of thousands of trail cameras at various locations throughout the state. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. 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? mountain lions in washington. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. My first thought literally was, is that a lion?. DEEP says Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. The only types of lynx that are indigenous to New England are the Canada Lynx and the Lynx rufus (bobcat). It was found, though, that this particular big cat had traveled all the way from South Dakota a distance of 1,500 miles. He published his first book in 1959, The Ghost of North America: The Story of the Eastern Panther. Stay facing the big cat and try not to turn your back to it. 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. Mountain lions, however, arent seen much in the Nutmeg State, even though several have reportedly been spotted around the Woodbridge area this month. 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. Watch Live at 7:00 PM: The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns | Screening & Panel Discussion . In 2011, a young male lion walked 1500 miles from South Dakota to Connecticut, where he was hit and killed on the parkway in Milford. Here are some things to keep in mind if you come across or see a big cat like a mountain lion: The sightings were reported to the state Dept. This can trigger a chase. Since then, there have been no confirmed cases here, with the state saying: People very often mistake bobcats for mountain lions. There is a big difference between Tuesday when none of us saw a moose in our region and then Thursday we did, Morse says. She adds, I think its because a lot of people are fascinated by wild cats; they are the embodiment of the wild.. Betty recommended that anyone who encounters a cougar should make themselves large, raise their hands and yell. Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. This young adult, male Mountain Lion was struck and killed by a SUV in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2012. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . 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. His mentor, Aldo Leopold, a prominent wildlife biologist, also believed this, but felt if people learned about these populations, they would be hunted to extinction. Report a Moose Sighting Select the link above to report your sighting. However, that doesnt mean that mountain lion sightings are all false or that there havent been roaming cats sighted. Not long after, what was believed to be the same mountain lion was struck and killed on Route 15 in Milford. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. I think its good he attended, Gottier said of Littell. For over 30 years the CT DEEP has been tracking reported sightings and maintain it has never observed or found proof that mountain lions are still here in the state. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. But sometimes, instead of mountain lions, people thought they saw other creatures in the Connecticut woods, of which authorities were supposedly aware. 47 6 thatphanom.techno@gmail.com 042-532028 , 042-532027 So, there you have it an answer to the question of whether or not there are mountain lions in CT. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. These tips include carrying safety equipment and walking . 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. We dont have extra money to do secret projects, he says. Thats only a fraction of the supposed sightings. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. Copy to clipboard. Native: Yes. Weve got a growing bear population. Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. Body coloration can range from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown spots. There is also something appealing about the idea that there is an animal out there so cunning that it has escaped our notice and the eyes of our cameras. This mountain lion was documented by DNA samples from Minnesota and Wisconsin between December 2009 and early 2010. 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. 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. Top Speed: 50 mph. Hes even had his own false sighting. Now the bears, they dont even care if people are home, theyll go right in the house. @Edward Case, In the wild, they live 8-13 years, but in captivity they can live into their 20s. On Friday July 8, 2022 there was a few reported Mountain Lion sightings the last few days one actually involving an encounter with one's family in their lawn. 5. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. Experts Warn Residents to Take Precautions After Recent Mountain Lion Sightings By Bay City News Published June 11, 2021 Updated on June 11, 2021 at 6:50 am NBC Universal, Inc. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Hey, I know what I saw. While other states have their Bigfoot and sea monster sightings, in Connecticut, and throughout much of the Northeast, we see mountain lions even when were told such sightings are unlikely, if not outright impossible. Mountain Lions can be found in Orange County throughout the Santa Ana Mountain Range down to the foothills and canyons directly connected to them. Possible mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge, Mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. She served as the Senior Producer for 'The Colin McEnroe Show' for several years before stepping down in 2021 and returning to her previous career as a registered nurse. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. Posted on Published: November 4, 2022- Last updated: December 28, 2022. Joseph Uscinski, professor of political science at the University of Miami, and a conspiracy theory expert, says these types of theories are not uncommon. Even in parts of the country where there are documented breeding populations of mountain lions, there are still many false reports. Mountain lion fur is unspotted and tan-brown . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. For more information on cougars in Connecticut, visit theCougars of the Valley siteor theConnecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. Were getting more and more home entries every year. Police have a warning after there were multiple mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Be as loud as you can paired with being as big as you can. What we do not have is a secure predator corridor.. listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. If a young male Cougar disperses East, instead of West, they're going to keep walking because they're going tokeep looking for an area where they can find a mate, he said. Abbott believes it is possible that more mountain lions such as the one that was killed in Milford in 2011 could migrate here. The arrival of a real mountain lion in the state reframed the discussion in Connecticut surrounding the animal. Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest and greatest content delivered right to your inbox. After the male mountain lion was removed from Red Hill Trail on May 11, additional sightings in that area were reported: one on May 16, and two over the weekend of May 19 and 20. It used to be that a bear would go into a house when someone wasnt home. Mountain lion spotted in Connecticut town On Monday, DEEP said that Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. The Damned Story: Eastern mountain lions, or pumas or cougars, were last officially seen in Connecticut near the end of the 19th century. Contrary to traditional thought, population studies have shown that mountain lions prefer rolling hills and more heavily developed areas to remote mountain regions. We have had five coyotes crossing through our yard in the past few weeks, and one even lingers around our property and the neighbors. Even though human persecution has driven them locally extinct in the eastern part of the state, Texas mountain lion hunting is allowed year-round with no bag limits. Black panthers, which are not found in the U.S., are actually black jaguars or leopards. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. 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. 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.. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. Its extremely rare for a person to see a wild animal and to underestimate its size. We have plenty of suitable habitat, he says. But as Eastern cougar search efforts became more organized and still there were no concrete signs of the creatures, many became more skeptical. 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. All rights reserved. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. Have you seen a puma or bobcat in your neighborhood? Weve had housecats misidentified as mountain lions and even deer, Rego says. Are these elusive cats prowling the East once again? Multiple people in North Stonington claim they've spotted a mountain lion roaming around. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. I have a fence in the backyard, it was above the bottom rail, so its back was probably this big, this long, the tail, said John Bachelder. Bachelder says he didnt have his phone on him, so he couldnt take a picture or video, but describes his backyard visitor just like what you see in the stock photo provided by the Woodbridge Police Department. 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