Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. Mountain lions may be stealthy, but they do leave a trace. McEnroe: Scientifically, this is a case where absence of evidence is kind of evidence of absence, right? 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. We're not aware of any more confirmed mountain lion sightings other than the one that was hit by the car many years back. But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. While he might feel like that well known movie character who was doubted at first, Bachelder is confident it was a cougar. Tandmlally@yahoo.com. However, the last confirmed mountain lion sighting in Connecticut was in 2011. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. This article appeared in theNovember 2019issue ofConnecticut Magazine. Theyll say, Hey, you can see in the picture that it has a long tail, and when I look at the picture, I say, I see how you would see that because they way these cats walk, theyll kind of stand and trail their rear leg. According to the Connecticut DEEP, the bobcat is the only wild cat found in Connecticut. Stay facing the big cat and try not to turn your back to it, officials said in a Facebook post. 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. He points out that when there was a real mountain lion in the state in 2011, his office publicized it immediately. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. 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. This was maybe a decade ago. State wildlife experts say those big cats have been extinct in Connecticut. 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. 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. I strongly suspect what was observed was a bobcat. said Jenny Dickson, director of DEEPs wildlife division. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. 4. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. 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. Officially, the last mountain lions were hunted to extinction here in the late 1800s. Joseph Uscinski, professor of political science at the University of Miami, and a conspiracy theory expert, says these types of theories are not uncommon. Im watching it, its big, its got the body, and the thing that really gave it away was the tail, had that mountain lion long tail that goes down to the ground and comes up at the end, saw that and was like, thats a freaking mountain lion.. Clean_Caterpillar225 4 mo. 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.. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. 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. Anyone can get fooled. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. Abbott, of the Housatonic Valley Association, is equally skeptical of the vast majority of mountain lion sightings. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection thinks it's unlikely. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. In cities, smaller towns, and even sparsely inhabited areas, there is simply not enough large prey for mountain lions to survive on. What we do not have is a secure predator corridor.. DEEP believes their numbers have increased in recent years. According to authorities, the mountain lion was reportedly seen on Friday including on Salem. A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. 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. It used to be that a bear would go into a house when someone wasnt home. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. 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. Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. Genetic testing placed the animal in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the cat had been sighted at several different points during its long journey east. He drove me out to the spot. On the idea of bear hunting in Connecticut. 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. A quick Google search reveals that the theory is not limited to Connecticut and similar tales are told throughout the Northeast. 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. Sometimes physical evidence shows the sighting was of some other animal, including dogs, cats, fishers, coyotes, bears and bobcats. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference. And the last confirmed sighting prior to the 2011 instance would be a couple hundred years ago, according to Hawley. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. It was a flooded area. NHPR is nonprofit and independent. They also generally have spots on their fur. 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. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. Officials are reminding residents to be mindful of small pets and children wandering out of sight, to not approach the animal and give it space to turn around if faced with a big cat, like a mountain lion. Anyone can get fooled. He drove me out to the spot. People often get very emotional about it, Hawley says. The journey is chronicled in the 2016 book Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cats Walk Across America by William Stolzenburg. We have plenty of suitable habitat, he says. 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. 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. Make yourself BIG. Police have a warning after there were multiple mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge. 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? BOSTON (Reuters) - A mountain lion killed on a Connecticut highway in June was a wild animal from South Dakota that prowled more than 1,500 miles eastward before meeting his death 70 miles. 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. 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.. They reside in all eight counties, however, they exist in greatest number in the northwestern corner of the state. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) - Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. The police department decided to put out a warning to those in town. Lets learn to live alongside this very large animal is one of the schools of thought. It used to be that a bear would go into a house when someone wasnt home. Do Not Approach! Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. 40K views 8 years ago Multiple people in North Stonington claim they've spotted a mountain lion roaming around. You know, weve had so many home entries this year. 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. Hawley said the last confirmed mountain lion sighting in the state was one that was killed on the Merritt Parkway in 2011 when a car struck the animal near Exit 55. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. 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. 2012. Posted on Published: November 4, 2022- Last updated: December 28, 2022. For mountain lions in Connecticut, a lack of evidence is very good evidence. Not long after, what was believed to be the same mountain lion was struck and killed on Route 15 in Milford. where the last confirmed kill was in 1885. That report was accompanied by a blurry photo, an indistinct paw print, and a scat sample. She had seen an animal on foot in broad daylight. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. They are named for their short (bobbed) tail which is often about six inches in length. Weve had coyotes misidentified. Hawley: That animal was documented. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. More recently, unexplained animal sightings in Connecticut and other states became more and more associated with mountain lions. Fight back. The state says no, theyre extinct, that cant be. The news stunned. As I rushed to meet her in the woods, she told me what she had seen. They also have facial ruffs and ear tufts on the tips of their ears, as well as shorter tails. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators., Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. So why does the conspiracy theory that theyre here in significant numbers persist? And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. Arms over your head, with a jacket or sweatshirt. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. 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. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. It had rained previously. But sometimes, instead of mountain lions, people thought they saw other creatures in the Connecticut woods, of which authorities were supposedly aware. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. Hunters and property owners have also set up tens of thousands of trail cameras at various locations throughout the state. However, that doesnt mean that mountain lion sightings are all false or that there havent been roaming cats sighted. But that doesnt stop people from seeing them. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of calls about mountain lions each year. Icould hear the panic in my wifes voice. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. Hes even had his own false sighting. A mountain lion from South Dakota apparently made an epic journey to suburban Connecticut. Yet we see nothing about what is being planned except how to scare them away if one sees them. 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. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. Anyone can get fooled. We even had a sighting someone here at DEEP, in my office, was convinced they saw a mountain lion. This might serve as proof to some that there, in fact, might still be mountain lions in CT. People often get very emotional about it, Hawley says. The last confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in CT was in 2011 when a driver struck and killed one on the Merrit Parkway. Connecticut Dept. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. Bobcats typically have brown fur with a reddish tinge that is marked with black or brown spots or stripes, according to the National Zoo. Were getting more and more home entries every year. Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. Hey, I know what I saw. You can subscribe to Connecticut Magazine here, or find the current issue on sale here. Bobcats are most frequently misidentified by the public as mountain lions, but theyre not the only animals mislabeled. There are no mountain lions in Connecticut, so why do we keep seeing them? of Energy & Environmental Protection. And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. Bobcats dont shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. Mountain lions were hunted to extinction near the end of the 19th century. Here are some physical differences between mountain lions and bobcats: These 2 big cats also behave differently. Black panthers, which are not found in the U.S., are actually black jaguars or leopards. 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. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. . Copyright 2023 The Connecticut Explorer | Wisteria on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, Connecticut Explorer Home Find Things to do in CT. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Hes even had his own false sighting. Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. 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. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. More recently, unexplained animal sightings in Connecticut and other states became more and more associated with mountain lions. 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? Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. This is a carousel. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. Says that theres no mountain lions in Connecticut they are full of it. Bobcats are found across Connecticut, but even fully grown they are much smaller than what she was describing, only weighing between 18 and 35 pounds. Hawley: That animal was documented. Many years ago there was a mountain lion that stayed in a wood pile in my mother's back yard. It is the only confirmed presence of a cougar in recent years. Typically, they will slink out of there as quickly as they can to get away from humans. Also, there has been a rash of cats and dogs gone missing out of here with the DPs. 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. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. Like coyotes, moreover, mountain. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. . Speaker Bill Betty presented evidence and proposed theories that could prove that Connecticut, including , is home to a native population of Eastern mountain lions. No, there are no mountain lions in CT, and there havent been for quite some time. Weve had housecats misidentified as mountain lions and even deer, Rego says. She adds, I think its because a lot of people are fascinated by wild cats; they are the embodiment of the wild.. 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. 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.. According to DEEP the bobcat is the only confirmed species of wild cat in CT as of 2022. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. She was calling from a trail in Pootatuck State Forest, the 1,200-acre strip of nature occupying the hills above Squantz Pond in New Fairfield. Certainly, bobcats are much larger than housecats, but they are not nearly the size of cougars. 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. The department has said it receives reports every year of. Emaileditor@connecticutmag.com, or contact usonFacebook@connecticutmagazine orTwitter@connecticutmag. It used to be that a bear would go into a house when someone wasnt home. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. However, the National Wildlife Federation notes that the mountain lions range spreads all across the Americas, from the Canadian Yukon to The Strait of Magellan, making it the greatest range of any living mammal in the Americas.. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. It was found, though, that this particular big cat had traveled all the way from South Dakota a distance of 1,500 miles. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. In 2011, genetic testing confirmed that a mountain lion originated in South Dakota and traveled more than 1,500 miles before being struck by a car on the Merritt Parkway, according to Reuters. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. His mountain lion was over twice the size of the bobcat which the bobcat had killed half my flock of chickens. ago. About two years ago in July 2020, there were around 1,500 reports of bobcat sightings in the state, with some bobcat sightings in Brookfield and Ridgefield that year. 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. 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. A harvest is kind of twofold. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. 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.. As a carnivore biologist, Hawley says he would love it if mountain lions were here. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. While this isn't the norm, it is becoming slightly more common as mountain lions are striking out further east in search of territory. Do not bend, squat, or sit down. Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. 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. As a scientist, lack of evidence is very good evidence. 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. Weve done a lot of work over the years investigating sightings. Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. Sign up for our newsletterto get the latest and greatest content fromConnecticut Magazinedelivered right to your inbox. A bobcats tail is short and bob-like, while mountain lions have long, curving tails that can grow up to 3 feet. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. Officials recommend not running away, as this can trigger a chase. 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. Weve done a lot of work over the years investigating sightings. Ancient_Ad126 4 mo. Okay, if thats what you say, what can I tell you. Mountain Lions: cougars, pumas, panthers and catamounts. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. I might also add that I notified the State wildlife division about evidence of a bear in my neighborhood in Windham County and never received even an acknowledgement. And follow us on Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag. Colin McEnroe is a radio host, newspaper columnist, magazine writer, author, playwright, lecturer, moderator, college instructor and occasional singer. They have NEVER observed a single mountain lion track. 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. He was previously a reporter for the Danbury News-Times and the Ridgefield Press. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. 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. Wright, however, didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions in the East. It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. of Energy & Environmental Protection. 6. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. 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. In some versions, state officials dont want to alarm people about the feline predators in their midst. 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. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. That had to be a mountain lion. The next week, on June 11, the cat was hit and killed by an, on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford. The Canada Lynxs geographic territory in New England only extends as far south as northern New Hampshire and parts of Maine, though. 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? 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. Give today. Were getting more and more home entries every year. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. The state adds bobcats are often active this time of year, making sightings much more likely. The big cat. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. And there are different schools of thought about that. The police shoot of Cougars behind the police Academy when they get over populated. And theyre not going to find one, because the females don't disperse like that. New Hampshire Public Radio | That's a lynx not a mountain lion. 17), Police investigate death of New London High School student, Guide to Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in CT, recent mountain lion sightings in Connecticut have not been confirmed, CT pit bull that was almost euthanized goes viral, gets adopted. 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. 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. As far as the claim that mountain lions live in CT, as we address in the previous section, that has been debunked. . Weve got a growing bear population. 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. Since then, there have been no confirmed cases here, with the state saying: People very often mistake bobcats for mountain lions. It lowers the population in a way thats not going to affect the long-term population. Just had one over in Windsor last week. Weve got a growing bear population. Hawley:Were sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. What about mountain lions, though? 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. 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Captive lion theory was also wrong find the current issue on sale here Connecticut department Energy. And parts of Maine, though by an, on the insides of their legs might feel like well! When my wifes sighting occurred subscribe to Connecticut and New England states have bear populations have a harvest here Connecticut. Turn your back to it, hawley says his office publicized it immediately 4, 2022- last updated: 28! Several other New England states have bear populations have a greater chance of actually seeing.., including dogs, cats, fishers, coyotes, bears and bobcats department has it! These 2 big cats also behave differently was also wrong geographic territory in New states... The last mountain lions may be stealthy, but if youre looking for something, have. Seeing it end of the most densely populated states as far as humans Megafauna mania: our obsession mountain. It immediately, lack of evidence of absence, right find the current issue on sale here for!, 2022- last updated: December 28, 2022 about what is being except! Didnt agree with his mentor and began writing publicly about mountain lions New England states bear! Has been debunked far that animal walked be stealthy, but theyre not to... Was reportedly seen on Friday including on Salem full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions or... Say, what was observed was a cougar lions: cougars, pumas panthers... There as quickly as they can to get worse Radio | that & # ;... Uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now Hampshire and parts of Maine, though William!