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.. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal likely trekked more than 1,500 miles from South Dakota, a journey that was captured by trail camera (above). The large cat was seen on Hoyt Farm Road not far from Route 123 near the Norwalk-New Canaan border. Most mountain lion sightings are reported without any evidence other than eyewitness descriptions. Almost daily, there are claims of mountain lion sightings in CT, though. Not long after, what was believed to be the same mountain lion was struck and killed on Route 15 in Milford. She was also the voice behind the weekly Connecticut Real Estate newsletter by CT Insider. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Weight: 160 lbs. 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. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. Theres also the lack of visual evidence, more glaring each passing year as so many hikers and hunters now carry phones with cameras. 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. 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.. Mountain Lion Sightings in CT. Was the animal a pet set free? Mountain Lions:100 all the way up to 200 pounds, Mountain Lions:Can grow up to 6 feet long. Mountain lion spotted in Connecticut town On Monday, DEEP said that Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. There are no mountain lions in Connecticut, so why do we keep seeing them? Hes even had his own false sighting. While there is currently not much safety training being done in the state for the extinct animal, Betty predicts that cougar safety will eventually be as common in New England as it is in California. A fourth cougar sighting in recent days was reported near the New Canaan border Thursday, according to Animal Control officer Allyson Halm. A lifelong Connecticut resident, Nicole has a degree in Communications from Fairfield University. Connecticut Dept. According to one internet source, there are 3 types of wild cats that can be found in Connecticut mountain lions, bobcats, and lynxes. I reported it to the DEP and they said they dont exist, he said. Were getting more and more home entries every year. Emaileditor@connecticutmag.com, or contact usonFacebook@connecticutmagazine orTwitter@connecticutmag. Hes even had his own false sighting. Another mountain lion was killed on a Connecticut highway. Rumors of their hidden presence persisted. In 2011, in the affluent suburbs of Connecticut, there were several reported sightings of a mountain lion, and much pooh-poohing from authorities, until a sport utility vehicle struck and killed . This was maybe a decade ago. This is the mountain lion that was hit by a car in Milford after several sightings in the Greenwich area. As a carnivore biologist, Hawley says he would love it if mountain lions were here. Mountain lions were hunted to extinction near the end of the 19th century. 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. 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. Throw rocks, sticks, etc to scare it off. 3 Last 10 Years. More recently, unexplained animal sightings in Connecticut and other states became more and more associated with mountain lions. Two mountain lion sightings have been confirmed in Tennessee. However, the captive lion theory was also wrong. Bobcats: Whiskered face and are gray in the winter and tan in the summer, with black spots on their fur that are not always visible. 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. When it comes out that there are mountain lions in Connecticut where all these people who denied them apologize to the people who know they saw them? And follow us on Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. However, that doesnt mean that mountain lion sightings are all false or that there havent been roaming cats sighted. Massachusetts and several other New England states have bear hunting, or harvest, seasons, which proponents say help control populations. This might serve as proof to some that there, in fact, might still be mountain lions in CT. "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. 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. Initially, officials believed it had been released from a private handler. 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, . According to wildlife biologist Jason Hawley, the lack of evidence of mountain lions in Connecticut is the evidence. Weve done a lot of work over the years investigating sightings. Icould hear the panic in my wifes voice. I feel a little bit like Roy Scheider in Jaws, you know, youve got to shut down the beaches, he said. Employees from the state DEEP, as well as Tolland Public Safety Supervisor John Littell attended the event last night. So its this gathering storm. They can be seen at any time of the day or night, but are most active at dawn and . DEEP sightings: Where the bears are in CT. Jim Shay. 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. 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. 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. Thats only a fraction of the supposed sightings. 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. Explore the most popular trails in my list Mountain lion sightings with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. For decades, wildlife experts should have been seeing occasional scat and paw prints in the winter. The Division also collects carcasses of road-killed bobcats as part of the study. So all the other states in the Northeast that have bear populations have a harvest on their bears. Are these elusive cats prowling the East once again? Bobcats: Though technically a type of lynx, they are distinct from other species of lynx such as the Canadian lynx. (Throughout history, people have had a deep fear of these creatures, hounding and hunting them mercilessly.) "We get calls about mountain lions all the time, but they turn out to be unprovable," Brown told the Independent in March. But that doesnt stop people from seeing them. Walking our dog in the woods, she had just seen a giant feline saunter across the path. On June 11, 2011, in Milford, CT, a mountain lion was killed by a motor vehicle. Certainly, bobcats are much larger than housecats, but they are not nearly the size of cougars. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. 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. Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. If it really comes down to it do what you have to do to deter it from following you. Joseph Uscinski, professor of political science at the University of Miami, and a conspiracy theory expert, says these types of theories are not uncommon. 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 mountain lion in winter. It was a flooded area. A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. Using DNA and physical evidence, state environmental officials said they determined that the animal . Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. 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. 3. Fish and Game staff have distributed door hangers in neighborhoods the lion has been using. Fight back. I saw one, not mistaken with a bobcat I know what bobcats look like. Bobcats dont shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. DEEP believes their numbers have increased in recent years. 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. 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. For more information on cougars in Connecticut, visit theCougars of the Valley siteor theConnecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. 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. Get started. The next week, on June 11, the cat was hit and killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford. The state adds bobcats are often active this time of year, making sightings much more likely. @Edward Case, You cansubscribe here, orfind the current issue on sale here. Weight. Rego says that the way bobcats stride when they run, often times a rear leg is kicked up in the back and that could be mistaken for a long tail.. 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. Almost every state has some sort of legend of something thats hiding somewhere, he says. So its this gathering storm. Dont Run. Live Now All times eastern. Weve done a lot of work over the years investigating sightings. 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. Meanwhile, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a big cat seen recently in They usually either don't disperse at all or they'll kind of overlap their mother's home range, or they'll disperse very short distances.. Mistaken reports of mountain lions are most commonly bobcats. Put your arms over your head with a jacket or sweatshirt. not all bobcats are heavily spotted either - just to add to the confusion.. This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Publics Members For mountain lions in Connecticut, a lack of evidence is very good evidence. Following the recent death of a mountain lion in Milford, and several reported. 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. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. In some versions, state officials dont want to alarm people about the feline predators in their midst. Its important to stand your ground and not run or hide. ', '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. The police department decided to put out a warning to those in town. More sightings that Halm deemed credible came in 2018 from Nursery, Marvin Ridge and Briscoe Roads.. Halm noted that the route between the two recent sightings appears to be straight south. DEEP says Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. Connecticut Dept. 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. 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. Dashboard for displaying mountain lion reports to the public. Want to post on Patch? In the decades that followed, many cougar enthusiasts came to share Wrights conclusions, at least at first. State wildlife experts say those big cats have been extinct in Connecticut for more than 100 years. 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. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. Anyone can get fooled. Were getting more and more home entries every year. They also generally have spots on their fur. So theres fresh mud. Sign up for our newsletter to get our latest and greatest content delivered right to your inbox. The nearest known populations of mountain lions are in Wyoming, Colorado, North . 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 . There also should have been evidence of animals killed by the predators and roadkill. Bobcats: They are about two to three times larger than their distant relative. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. 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. Idaho Fish and Game officers and personnel responded to . Be mindful of small pets and small children. Although mountain lions were part of Nebraska's native fauna, they were extirpated by the end of the 19th century. The sightings havent been confirmed by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), and there are no videos or photos. and last updated 8:18 AM, Jan 21, 2022. South Windsor resident Stafford King is sure that he saw a cougar on his land three years ago. To date, no footage of a mountain lion has surfaced. I've damn near run over the things. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Posted on Published: November 4, 2022- Last updated: December 28, 2022. Otherwise, Hawley said cats like bobcats want nothing to do with people, and they will generally prey on chickens, small dogs or cats. Its extremely rare for a person to see a wild animal and to underestimate its size. 5. Since then, there have been no confirmed cases here, with the state saying: People very often mistake bobcats for mountain lions. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Make noise-- be as loud as you can while you make yourself as big as you can. He was previously a reporter for the Danbury News-Times and the Ridgefield Press. So theres fresh mud. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. These sightings have not been confirmed as true mountain lion sightings. Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. he recalls. 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. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. Mountain Lions: Large tan cats with a distinctive two to three-foot curving tail, that can almost touch the ground as they walk. 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? Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. 'Bo was a legend', Los Charros Cantina closes in Essex, will relocate to Branford, Elizabeth's Cafe in Madison to be razed for new restaurant, housing, CT fathers coaching daughters in girls basketball navigate life lessons at home and on the court, 5 CT companies hiring for 100 or more positions, Celebrity gossip and sightings in and around CT, February 2023, John Mayer to appear on Impractical Jokers Thursday, Stamford's Alive At Five concert series announces 2023 dates, Dionne Warwick, '80 for Brady producer bring music review to CT. 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. Betty, however, said that the sheer number of sightings and evidence substantiates a native population of cougars. Betty later showed maps covered with dots, each of which represented sightings of mountain lions in Connecticut and the rest of New England. Since cougars are the second largest cat in North America and a natural predator, they can pose a threat. 'Bo was a legend', Los Charros Cantina closes in Essex, will relocate to Branford, Elizabeth's Cafe in Madison to be razed for new restaurant, housing, CT fathers coaching daughters in girls basketball navigate life lessons at home and on the court, 5 CT companies hiring for 100 or more positions, The Best Window Replacement Companies in CT, Guide to Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in CT, The Best Kitchen Remodeling Companies in CT, The Best Bathroom Remodeling Companies in CT, recent mountain lion sightings in Connecticut have not been confirmed, Video of fatal police shooting of CT man will not be released yet, Cannabis activists want more CT criminal cases dropped, expunged, CT DOT faces criticism following overnight tree-cutting, Haar: $1M in payouts approved, and CT still has a garbage crisis. He drove me out to the spot. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. But it also sort of instills that fear, a healthy fear of humans and bears. There are an estimated 3,000 - 7,000 Mountain lions in Colorado. As far as the claim that mountain lions live in CT, as we address in the previous section, that has been debunked. NHPR is nonprofit and independent. Mountain lion, cougar, puma, panther, painter, and catamount are all different names for the same animal ( Puma concolor ). Youll get the answer to this question in this article. Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Cassano Being Honored For Contributions To Manchester Children, Sandwich Giant Again Pledging Sales Proceeds To Major Charity In March, Snow Day For Schools, Parking Ban Issued In Manchester, Book Release Event: Bad Hair Day on Planet Earth, a memoir by Barbara Ruzansky, Jazz Series: Luke Hendon & Jack Soref - An Evening of Gypsy Jazz, The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-Time, Brady Sullivan Properties Supports Elliot Emergency Department, Public Access TV Show Focuses On Non-Profits And Community Heroes, Pairings Released For CIAC Boys Basketball State Tournaments, 4 Students Injured In 2 Collisions On UConn's Horsebarn Hill. 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. And even the home entries are kind of changing. The mountain lion is believed to have had an encounter with a family on their lawn. Bobcat sightings are not uncommon in Connecticut. One on Salem Rd and another in. 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. Over time, Wright became convinced Eastern cougars lived in small pockets in the deep woods. Mountain Lions are the largest predators currently in Rocky Mountain National Park. 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? A bobcats tail is short and bob-like, while mountain lions have long, curving tails that can grow up to 3 feet. Bobcats top out at about 40 pounds (most are much lighter than that) and are only. According to Jason Hawley, a wildlife biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protections Wildlife Division, the department gets around 100 sighting reports of mountain lions each year, but upon further investigation, a good proportion of the sightings end up being bobcats. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. People often get very emotional about it, Hawley says. Since May 21, three other lion sightings were reported in the Chubbuck and Pocatello areas and one in Inkom. Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators., Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators, For the first time in decades, The Old Farmer's Almanac is looking for a new editor, NSC-131 members say they can't find a NH defense lawyer for pending civil rights case, Cautiously optimistic: Maple syrup producers expect a good season this year, In Spokane, Washington, officials test a housing strategy rejected by NH lawmakers. Technical Discussion: Rain tonight, then an *ALERT* heading into the weekend! Young pumas dispersing from Western habitats are being killed at the source, compromising the Easts critical opportunity for ecosystem health and the return of an apex carnivore., Regardless of where they are found, or whether people want to hunt or protect them, people are enchanted by mountain lions. Weve got a growing bear population. Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. To answer these and other questions about sightings of mountain lions, I turned to DEEPs Rego, who has investigated many purported cougar sightings over the past three decades. The big cat. 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. No, there are no mountain lions in CT, and there havent been for quite some time. NOW - 4:30 PM. The state says no, theyre extinct, that cant be. One on Salem Rd and another in the area of Pease Rd in our town. They reside in all eight counties, however, they exist in greatest number in the northwestern corner of the state. Im confident that we get occasional outlier animals.. 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. 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. 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. Anyone can get fooled. 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. 4:30 PM. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. But further inspection revealed it was a very large coyote. New London would be the last place I'd expect to see a mountain lion in CT. My sister is on 9 acres in Harwinton and watched a mountain lion cross the driveway which is about a quarter mile surrounded by woods and unpaved. 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.

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