Even so, Abbott has heard of mountain lion sightings from what he deems reliable sources and believes its possible that other animals have made the difficult, some say almost miraculous trek, from the West to Connecticut. he recalls. 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. Obviously, this is the reason why the experts are loathe to admit that the species is here. 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. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. The second occasion was on the way to work when I saw the cougar/catamount crossing Route 44. Weve done a lot of work over the years investigating sightings. The cougar and the states refusal to admit it was here made the local paper. Theres probably 100 in Connecticut, Ottmann interrupted, rolling a cigarette as he spoke. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. This is the second mountain lion sighting in North Texas in less than a month. People often get very emotional about it, Hawley says. Respect predators, protect them but dont worship or try to hug them! Email editor@connecticutmag.com. This was as clear as day had a long tail and long body I was thinking someones pet was on the loose or escaped form a zoo !! One day I most certainly watched him/her being chased up and down our chain link fence by a neighbors large dog who was barking insanely and couldnt quite catch the cougar, who finally made it away from the fence to escape the determined dog whod had him trapped up against it. 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. Still, Spatz acknowledged that the word hope is very different from the word believe. Wildlife biologists, as professional scientists, require a higher level of documentation and proof. With 18 native South American names, 25 Native American names, and 40 English names, this big cat has a big list of sobriquets that all boil down to the same thing: mountain lion. 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. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. They can be seen at any time of the day or night, but are most active at dawn and dusk, corresponding with deer activity. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Bobcat sightings are not uncommon in Connecticut. Police Chief. . Adults are a uniform tan or tawny in color, with a white or cream-colored chin, undersides and inner legs. 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. Watch Live at 7:00 PM: The U.S. and the Holocaust, a film by Ken Burns | Screening & Panel Discussion . 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. Put bluntly, Morse does not believe that New England is home to cougars. Were getting more and more home entries every year. 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. 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. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. This isnt to say she believes none of these animals has stepped foot on New England soil over the past century. He and his clients were 100% sure of what they saw, and its very difficult to imagine any other animal being mistaken for a cougar in this case. On the idea of bear hunting in Connecticut. All of which is to say that if Alexander Crowell wasnt afraid on that long-ago Thanksgiving Day, he probably should have been. Ive seen more field evidence in a couple of hours tracking out west than Ive seen in 100 years on the East Coast, he said. Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest and greatest content delivered right to your inbox. 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. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. And follow us on Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. Wednesday, November 25th 2020. . Bearded, bowler hat, expression impenetrable behind facial hair and the stoicism of an earlier era. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. 02:02. Almost every state has some sort of legend of something thats hiding somewhere, he says. Its fur is a light, tawny brown color which can appear gray or almost black, depending on light conditions. 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. 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. Indeed, one of her steadiest sources of funding for Keeping Track is a presentation on cougars that has been known to draw more than 500 audience members. Mr. Betty and Mr.Ottomans passion and efforts are impressive. My wife is not a wildlife expert, but is not prone to flights of fancy. But that was OK. Bo Ottmann knew they were out there. Hawley: Wildlife biologists across the United States know where the current mountain lion range is. It was fast as hell but there was no mistaking its not only long,but THICK tail as it disappeared into the woods. He drove me out to the spot. Mountain lions inhabit the badlands and Missouri River breaks regions of North Dakota. In some versions, state officials dont want to alarm people about the feline predators in their midst. I will never forget what I saw! 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. The size of a lion's territory depends on the availability of food and habitat quality. There was no mistake. It seems humans just cant resist destroying these animals and either dont realize or dont care what damage we have done to our natural environment over the centuries. 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 I saw a Mountain Lion in 2007 in Northfield, MA at the junctions of Rtes 10 and 63. community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years. In July 2019, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Mountain Lion Foundation petitioned the Fish and Game Commission to list mountain lions as a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act ( CESA) within a proposed evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) located in Southern California and the central coast of California. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. The map from that publication is shown below, with the current mountain lion range in green and confirmed mountain lion locations as black dots. Well, I KNOW there was at least one mountain lion in NE because years ago (maybe 35 or so) I lived in Longmeadow, MA. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. Early spring 2019 I caught a glimpse of one entering over grown brush on the side of the road very very early in the morning. About Us; She IS, perhaps, the most knowledgeable and experienced person in this arena and I listened intently to her presentation (Richmond, VT 2018). At least once a year thered be a story from somewhere, but I only ran the absolute best, he told me. People like you are the problem and cause of extinctions. 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. You need to understand that every biologist that works for the state has a duty to deny mountain lions. My daughter said to me thats the biggest cat Ive ever seen. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. This assessment is echoed by the aforementioned Christopher Spatz, who has been studying cougars for better than 20 years. Im confident that we get occasional outlier animals.. You could have 50. I heard from Neighbors that they have been sighting from the mass pike which runs along this area but also very close to Quabbin! It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. I live in New Milford and I saw one crossing the road in front of me when I stopped to get my mail from my mailbox. As a Just like we dont need any slimy humans on earth period. For helpful information on identifying mountain lion tracks and more, visit the Missouri Department of . I lived in great Barrington mass and I took photos of tracks in a field in April of 2009 (and of course lost them). Morse, 70, comports herself in a friendly and no-nonsense manner. Mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are a big cat species native to the Americas. I was outdoor with my two pugs and quickly scooped them up and brought them in the house. When we reached tower, a ranger arrived in a pickup. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Theres also the lack of visual evidence, more glaring each passing year as so many hikers and hunters now carry phones with cameras. 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. In the 37 years Ive been working, things have changed in ways Id never have predicted. Then in June 2011, there were reports of a mountain lion in Greenwich and, for the first time, a photo. If theres a middle ground in the cougar debate, it belongs to John Harrigan, a veteran outdoorsman, newspaper reporter, and widely read syndicated columnist. They take down boats, bulls, etc. July 20, 2022. Records suggest that cash bounties for cougar kills were relatively common in the late 1700s and early 1800s; in the Adirondacks, a trapper named Thomas Meacham was credited with 77 cougar kills. Honestly, leaving this out of your article would seem to perpetuate the notion that there is a conspiracy to keep us all in ignorance. He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. Connecticut Republicans are proposing to reduce the cost of electricity by removing state taxes and surcharges from customer invoices. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. That maybe, just maybe, what my wife and others saw wasnt a bobcat that seemed bigger in the thrill of the moment, but a real, honest-to-goodness mountain lion, a long-lost ghost of the forest. It is what wildlife biologists call an apex carnivore, which means it can overpower pretty much any other creature in its environmentwith the exception of an armed human. When I came out, the cat appeared in front of me coming up a rise (incredibly close to some ski condos). It's rare to see an up-close look at mountain lion behavior out in the wild, let alone a whole family. 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. vital part of this countries ecosystem. "Mountain lions are considered extinct in the northeast." Bobcats are not uncommon in Connecticut, according to the state, although their population is limited throughout the state, with the. Its extremely rare for a person to see a wild animal and to underestimate its size. 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.. Nowhere in New England is the matter definitively settled. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. Length of body. on route to stone tower on Quabbin Hill. Dont forget, south Texas also used to home to two other species of cats ocelots and jaguarundis. 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. Connecticut Public Radio | In 2011, the U.S. She adds, I think its because a lot of people are fascinated by wild cats; they are the embodiment of the wild.. He explains that we frequently overestimate the size of animals in the wild, particularly ones we are afraid of. Officially, there are no mountain lions in New England, although there is a good possibility the big cats could be here, Tate said. In a Facebook poll, 84 people said they believe mountain lions are in the county, 37 say they've personally seen them, and three people say they do not exist. It was his great coolness and daring (either that, or fear) that enabled Crowell to shoot the animal at a distance of one rod only (roughly 16 feet), first hitting it in the leg with his shotgun, then dispatching it with a bullet to the head from a borrowed rifle. Finally, in the third camp, there are the true believersthe cougar truthers, if you willthe men and women for whom the only logical conclusion (often reached after a significant investment of time, thought, and sometimes money) is that right here, right now, cougars live among us, feeding and breeding and rearing their young, and that suggesting otherwise is sheer ignorance, willful denial, or part of a mosaic of conspiracy. While recent mountain lion sightings in Connecticut have not been confirmed, if someone suspects they encountered a mountain lion, they should not run away, as it might spur a chase. The department has said it receives reports every year of. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. I was driving to work in Greenfield heading south on 10 and had just taken a right hand turn at the junction when the big cat crossed the road in front of me. Ask people who spend time outside Connecticut cities and you will hear firsthand or secondhand accounts of mountain lions. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. Our hunter friend was hunting in central NH when they came upon an adult deer carcass way up in a tree. Mountain lions (commonly called cougar or puma) vary in size and weight. 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 . We have plenty of suitable habitat, he says. My mother always said she saw one across the street from our house one night in the late 50s early 60s. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. 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. It continues in Connecticut, where that South Dakota cat was killed in 2011, and in Massachusetts, despite two credible reports in the past quarter century (in one case, DNA-confirmed scat; in the other, verified tracks). The key to Morses assertion can be found in the term breeding population. Although the fact that cougars have traveled through New England is irrefutable (a DNA-confirmed roadkill is hard to deny), Morse believes its unlikely that they have settled here and created a self-sustaining population. No doubt of what it was; size, color and recognizable tail. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. Still, there are those of us who know what weve seen. We dont have extra money to do secret projects, he says. Betty was quiet, and I wondered if even he, a man who does not doubt the presence of these cats in our midst and who himself claims multiple sightings, thought Ottmann was exaggerating. By now, I knew the answer to that one. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them. 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. He soon developed a five-question litmus test: How far away were you? [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. Sighting in North Texas in less than a month visit the Missouri Department of that for. 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