. Especially when pictures are blurry which happens a lot in trail cameras or youll get pictures taken at night or something on Ring cameras that hind leg really does often look like a tail kind of curling up behind the animal.. Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest and greatest content delivered right to your inbox. Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. ago. 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. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. Weve had housecats misidentified as mountain lions and even deer, Rego says. Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. 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Officially, the last mountain lions were hunted to extinction here in the late 1800s. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. Im no wilderness expert, but it sure looked like a mountain lion to me, he said. Hawley: That animal was documented. If it really comes down to it do what you have to do to deter it from following you. Hawley said that the typical range of cougars like mountain lions is from west of the South Dakota area. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. So its this gathering storm. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) - Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. 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.. In some versions, state officials dont want to alarm people about the feline predators in their midst. That report was accompanied by a blurry photo, an indistinct paw print, and a scat sample. DEEP believes their numbers have increased in recent years. So, now we know what DEEP says about mountain lions in the state and we know that many people mistakenly believe theyve sighted one but its still possible there are some in CT, right? Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. If it really comes down to it do what you have to do to deter it from following you. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. MoRRoW187 4 mo. In 2017, Ann Jarosiewicz and Liz Prete left their jobs as developers and started WasteNot, a building materials recycling company on Cape Cod. 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. As far as the claim that mountain lions live in CT, as we address in the previous section, that has been debunked. Ive lived here 23 years, Ive seen coyotes, Ive seen bobcats, Ive seen foxes, everything else, never seen anything like this before, said Bachelder. A qualitative assessment of . Okay, if thats what you say, what can I tell you. 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. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. Are there any mountain lions in CT? Working in the 1980s in southern California, where there are cougars, biologist Paul Beier said that 95 percent of cougar sightings they investigated turned out to be misidentifications. 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? It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. In cities, smaller towns, and even sparsely inhabited areas, there is simply not enough large prey for mountain lions to survive on. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. 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. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. Ask people who spend time outside Connecticut cities and you will hear firsthand or secondhand accounts of mountain lions. 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. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Hawley: Yeah. 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. Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. On the idea of bear hunting in Connecticut. 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. They also want to foster the formation and protection of migration pathways for them and other animals to enter new states. 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. But as Eastern cougar search efforts became more organized and still there were no concrete signs of the creatures, many became more skeptical. Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. They are named for their short (bobbed) tail which is often about six inches in length. 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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. I believe that was about 10 years ago. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. 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.. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. 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. Not long after, what was believed to be the same mountain lion was struck and killed on Route 15 in Milford. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. 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 saw one cross the rd ( rt 63) in Wtn @ 5 yrs ago, @Craig, Abbott believes it is possible that more mountain lions such as the one that was killed in Milford in 2011 could migrate here. 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. Do not bend, squat, or sit down. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. The journey is chronicled in the 2016 book, Abbott, of the Housatonic Valley Association, is equally skeptical of the vast majority of mountain lion sightings. I know the difference between bobcats, lynx, & mt lions. Somebody needs to take charge of this outfit and do something about the interactions with the citizenry. Anyone can get fooled. She said the size made her do a double take and indeed she seen it had a very long tail, Bullsh** Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. "The state [Connecticut] explains any cougar evidence, such as the recent mountain lion killed in Milford, as an escaped pet [or one that came from the Mid-West]," Mr. Betty said in an e-mail. 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. Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. Hes even had his own false sighting. So its this gathering storm. That means that the animal traveled more than 1,500 miles to Connecticut, more than twice as far as the longest dispersal pattern ever recorded for a mountain lion. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Mountain lion sightings in New Hampshire have increased along . And there are different schools of thought about that. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. . MOUNTAIN LION ATTACKS MAN SITTING IN COLORADO HOT TUB After a few moments of the deer trying to maneuver out of the chokehold, it managed to free itself from the claws of the mountain lion.. A lifelong Connecticut resident, Nicole has a degree in Communications from Fairfield University. Wright, however, didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions in the East. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. Stay facing the big cat and try not to turn your back to it, officials said in a Facebook post. Hawley: Yeah. 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. 5. However, the last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut was in 2011. "The journey of this mountain lion is a testament to the wonders of. Dont Run. 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. A mountain lion from South Dakota apparently made an epic journey to suburban Connecticut. So its this gathering storm. In Florida, where mountain lions are known as panthers, dozens are killed each year by cars. Says that theres no mountain lions in Connecticut they are full of it. Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators., Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators, Pastry artwork pits bakery against town of Conway in free speech suit, In latest school funding trial, state attorneys argue NH districts' budgets are bloated, Lawmakers, advocates, families in NH react to Biden Admin's proposed Title IX change, Give Back NH: The New England Grassroots Environment Fund. Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. State lawmakers have entertained bills to establish a bear hunting season for years, but so far, none of those proposals has passed. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. For mountain lions in Connecticut, a lack of evidence is very good evidence. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. 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. One has been spotted on our street for the last four or five years. 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. Even in parts of the country where there are documented breeding populations of mountain lions, there are still many false reports. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. According to French's article: "To date, the only other confirmed evidence of a wild Mountain Lion in Massachusetts was found on March 4, 2011, when Steve Ward . . 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. Only Ignorance would believe that something that once know to be - no longer is Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it is not there. State wildlife experts say those big cats have been extinct in Connecticut. From sightings of wolves and moose to brown recluses and mountain lions, people in CT have made some wild (pun intended) claims about what animals theyve spotted. Mountain lions were hunted to extinction near the end of the 19th century. 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. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. On the idea of bear hunting in Connecticut. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. They do not want to alarm the public. 6. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. Didnt it? Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. However, that doesnt mean that mountain lion sightings are all false or that there havent been roaming cats sighted. Chief Rick OBomsawin of Odanak First Nation currently based in Quebec, whose ancestral lands include Vermont says no one contacted Odanak officials during the state's Truth and Reconciliation selection process. Then in June 2011, there were reports of a mountain lion in Greenwich and, for the first time, a photo. He drove me out to the spot. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. Report: CT man killed in police shootout after dispute at casino, 24 Connecticut towns don't have stores that accept food stamps, CT pit bull that was almost euthanized goes viral, gets adopted, CT could lose thousands of affordable housing units. Two mountain lion encounters in his driveway. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Bobcats, of course, can be found all over the state. While the state says it was likely a bobcat, one of the people who reported the sighting says it was unlike anything hes ever seen before. Mountain Lions:100 all the way up to 200 pounds, Mountain Lions:Can grow up to 6 feet long. They reside in all eight counties, however, they exist in greatest number in the northwestern corner of the state. Sign up for our newsletterto get the latest and greatest content fromConnecticut Magazinedelivered right to your inbox. I frankly have lost faith in some government institutions for this very reason. 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. Throw rocks, sticks, etc to scare it off. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. She didnt claim to see the mountain lions long tail, but optical illusions can lead people to think theyve seen a tail. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. Police said these have been reported to DEEP, but have not been confirmed as true mountain lion sightings. Weve done a lot of work over the years investigating sightings. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. Certainly, bobcats are much larger than housecats, but they are not nearly the size of cougars. We have had five coyotes crossing through our yard in the past few weeks, and one even lingers around our property and the neighbors. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. Are There a Lot of Spiders in Connecticut? So, there you have it an answer to the question of whether or not there are mountain lions in CT. Mountain Lions: Large tan cats with a distinctive two to three-foot curving tail, that can almost touch the ground as they walk. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. And there are different schools of thought about that. A harvest is kind of twofold. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. Throw rocks, sticks, etc to scare it off, police said in the post. 40K views 8 years ago Multiple people in North Stonington claim they've spotted a mountain lion roaming around. There was also one reported on Salem Road and another in the area of Pease Road. But the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Sunday that bobcats are the only large wild cats found in the state. These were reported to CT DEEP and though the sightings may not have been confirmed as true mountain Lion sightings, this post is to spread awareness on the issue in case youre presented with such situation. Every winter, after a fresh snow, DEEP sends out teams into the fields and woods looking for animal tracks. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. Your support makes this news available to everyone. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. It used to be that a bear would go into a house when someone wasnt home. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. Almost every state has some sort of legend of something thats hiding somewhere, he says. 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. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Connecticut Dept. But honest misidentifications are more common. But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. But its also a great story that lays out how an animal this large, at 150 pounds, traveling through even rural areas, leaves signs and is detected. Connecticut Dept. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Just had one over in Windsor last week. Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. not all bobcats are heavily spotted either - just to add to the confusion.. 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. Bobcats: They are are the only wild cat found in the state and the most common in North America. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. Paul Rego, a wildlife biologist with the DEEP, told Connecticut . Arms over your head, with a jacket or sweatshirt. Here are some physical differences between mountain lions and bobcats: These 2 big cats also behave differently. It requires engagement and attendance, just like on Election Day. So theres fresh mud. What about mountain lions, though? Have a question or comment? Officials recommend not running away, as this can trigger a chase. Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. One on Salem Rd and another in the area of Pease Rd in our town. 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. The last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut occurred in 2011. And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service reports that mountain lions typical habitat is steep, rocky canyons or mountainous terrain, but they generally can be found wherever deer are present. The journey is chronicled in the 2016 book Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cats Walk Across America by William Stolzenburg. 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