My wife shot video of what we believe to be a panther or mountain lion. The bobcat is a resilient cat that has managed to keep under cover and establish territory across most of the United States. I believe it was 2006 or 2007. . They say the last mountain lion in Virginia was killed in 1882. The last cougar in Virginia was killed in Washington County in 1882. It was great, probably one of the most exciting experiences of my life, and I feel very fortunate.. Secondly, the sightings of mountain lions are likely the result of escaped or released animals that were once captive. I know another person in Albemarle Co. who sees them sunning regularly there and has for years. While this may be incredible, it is still ways off. She ranked top 10 in the MEC in field-goal percentage (third/54.3), free-throw percentage (sixth/78.2), blocks per game (sixth/0.9) and rebounding (eighth/7.9). It was the first time I could see it clearly. I HAVE HEARD OF AN OLD WOMAN THAT HAD A DOBERMAN THAT STAYED ON HER BACK PORCH NEAR ROCKINGHAM CO NC. Bears, Deer and Turkey come out in the yard on a regular basis. And yet there are numerous reports of hikers and residents spotting these creatures, especially in the mountains. I had the windows open because it was a cool night. Not much evidence but plenty of stories. FYI: I have reasearched wild animal sounds to the point now that I could be an expert. I'll take any sighting you got, just make a note of location, size and color of the animal, some context on what you where doing when you saw them (hiking a trail, hunting, chilling in your yard, ect), and any behaviors you noticed from the animal. Anyone who wants to put this mystery to rest should just spend a few days in those mountainscase would be closed for sure on big black cats. If I knew how, Id post the picture here. My father owns property in Floyd, VA in an area where many of the land owners are not activly using their large acreage properties. Is a mountain lion like a bear? a cougar is not going to risk attacking a horse as they are a somewhat delicate animal which I have seen killed by an elk if they choose the wrong one.. horses are too substaintial unless there are no deer at all around, but in your case I think if there are cats there it is because their food is ther. But these cats are on experts radars, and the TWRA has even established a Cougar Response Committee to answer questions and sift through reported sightingsof which Peterson said he expects to see an influx later in the year. After DNA testing . The first time I heard the screams I went in the direction with a flashlight, fully expecting to find a victim. I believe that area was once habitat for the red wolf. In 1996-98 I lived in Catharpin, VA near Manassas Battlefield. I have seen photos of these as well. I also am wondering what others think about the fact that so far a documented photo of a cougar in Virginia has not been taken by any of the ECFs cameras. Cat like head and ears and face, long tail (about 20+ inches), bristly fur, grayish-brown in color, rather thin overall. He didnt rule out the possibility of an individual wandering into Virginia, as that has happened before. There are just too many of these stories for her to believe that the cats are extinct. B. McQuary. Could a mountain lion or cougar be in my area? Full grown, the bulls can weigh up to 700 pounds, so be sure to keep a respectful distance should you see one of these beautiful creatures! Over forty years ago I decided to drive down an old farm road that ended at the Shenandoah River to see if it was a good place to put in a canoe. By 2011, U.S. It was extremely cold out, maybe -20F and we had just come out of the portal against the strong winds of the ventilation fans. The folks living in those areas, at least in WV, mostly keep to themselves and most of those folks do not have computers. It's not the first time the same photo has been used to make claims of local sightings. Mountain lions are definitely coming to Virginia. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they havent been in the region since 1882. And yet there are numerous reports of hikers and residents spotting these creatures, especially in the mountains. Over time, female cougars could expand their range eastward through a stepping-stone dispersal pattern, occupying nearby habitat in stages. Description of the Mountain Lion. I just saw a photograph of one today that is EASILY 150-200 lbs. That federal distinction hasn't stopped the sightings. Purposeful reintroduction, bringing breeding-age females to a suitable area in the Appalachians, could speed the process dramatically. A week later the farmer shot the mountain lion. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . (usualy a rabbit) as it tapers off not to be heard again until the next night. He got up and armed with only a flashlight he ventured outside to see why the horses were so restless and upset. The 1982 Eastern Cougar Recovery Plan defined the establishment of one population containing at least 50 breeding adults as the threshold for moving the Eastern Cougar from "endangered" to just "threatened." I was dragging some stuff behind my ATV down a old farm road in Appomattox Virginia, when this fellow bounced out in front of me about 50 yards ahead. Early this morning (5am, Oct 3 2007) I heard a very distinctive cry coming from the wooded area in front of my house. The U.S. Last week in a dusty spot I found what I thought might be catamount signs. Despite the widely-held belief in the scientific community that eastern mountain lions have been long gone and any cats seen roaming the region these days must have made the long trek from midwestern states like South Dakota, some Appalachian residents remain convinced that the cats never actually left the area. This medium-sized cat weighs between 9-33 lbs, has stubby tails and characteristic tufts of hair coming out of its ears. "According to Handley and Pattons 'Wild Mammals of Virginia'published in 1947, the last Virginia mountain lion was killed in Washington County in 1882. It has to be a good, clear photo, and we get all kinds of fuzzy stuff that could be a bobcat, could be a yellow lab, but its so far away or so fuzzy we cant tell.. I was looking out my window but couldnt see anything. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. He never saw the cat again but never went out at night without a gun. Well, then we know theres a cougar there, Peterson said simply. SHE WAS OLD LIVED BY HERSELF AND IN A SECLUDED AREA.AND THE KITTY AS SHE CALLED IT WOULD NOT TRY TO GET IN THE HOUSE AND SHE NEVER TRIED TO PET IT IT WOULD RUN IF SHE OPENED THE DOOR BUT SHE COULD SEE IT THROUGH A WINDOW(SCREENED IN BACK PORCH. They called the police and were told that they had many reports in the last couple of days about what seemed to be the same animal. At first I thought it might be a big black dog like a mastiff or something but I saw the tail and it was just like a bigger version of my house cats tail. Others saw those cats too; so it was not my mistaking them for anything else! None has ever gotten a clear verifiable shot of a cougar. I live in Southwest, VA. I told everyone the next day what I had seen and I was told there no big cats here any more. It was moving through the woods twards a water source but not in the open. The Cougar Network is monitoring all reports of the expansion of cougars to the East. OK. 2 Sept about 12:30 maybe 12:45 I was jolted out of a good sleep by what I first thought was 2 cats fighting below my 2nd story bedroom window. We were too busy looking at each other asking, Did you see that? We should have ben focusing on details. We would also be very interested in recovering any remains. They then took the trail that went in the opposite direction of the animal. If they are in Virginia, shouldnt there be a photo by now from a camera trap? THE BOBCAT: on the other hand actualy has a more shrill high pitched terrified scream that sounds like a woman being murdered much like on a horror film or somethng like the screams at that halloween fright night you may have been to. In October & November of 2007, my dogs got to barking. It was last June that my husband and brother in law were traveling on rt 66 where it goes into rt 81 (somewhere between Front Royal and Strasburg) and saw a cougar dead on the side of the highway! The amount of area they need for their home range, the kinds of things they eat, their behaviorsall of that is really important to arm ourselves with so we have that information, LaRue said, adding that with that education comes the dispelling of myths. Holly Kuchera/Shutterstock.com. Me and my wife were on Leesville Rd in Evington just at the Otter River when we saw a large black cat the size of a mountain lion running up the grassyhill by the road. My first thought was it was a panther that escaped from a nearby zoo. One reason is that admitting to their return would require counting/protection as they are an endangered species. This lion was hit between Cherry Reservoir Road and High Knob area In 2018, the Federal agency removed the Eastern Cougar from that list, though the Florida panther remained on it. Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Market Hunting of Cougars, the 1982 Eastern Cougar Recovery Plan determined that three breeding populations would be necessary before the species could be delisted Colby is a freelance writer from Charlotte, North Carolina. the cougar tail almost sweeps the ground and might have some markings on the tip of gray/white, the rest of the tail looks like short hair and is not bushy. Speculation over what kind of animal attacked a hiker near Humpback Rocks on Friday namely, a bear or mountain lion was resolved Monday, thanks to the victim's mother. The game warden cut open the animal and it had 2 walker hounds in its stomach. My wife, dog, and I were walking on a dead end street no houses in Stratford Habour this morning (11/8/07). So it could have been a red wolf. Because they are lone animals that are not breeding. I guess I just dont want to believe they are here, because we live in the woods. There are at least 10 different subspecies of white-tailed deer, and it doesnt make a bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.. At first I wondered if it was a bob cat, however, the feline was far too large, and lacked the bushier tail commonly associated with a bob (especially given that it was still early February). VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) A Storey County Sheriff's Office deputy took a photo of a mountain lion in Virginia City over the weekend. I live in Fairfax County, Northern Virginia and the area is pretty urban, although there are woods adjacent to my home and I have seen plenty of deer and fox. Just wondering if anyone has spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton? I should have said that I think I may have seen one myself. According to the Cat Specialist Group, Puma concolor cougar is in North and Central America and Puma concolor concolor ranges throughout South America.2. My father a retired Secret Service agent who used to shoot alot with Regan spotted a mountain lion on the side of rt. One particular sub-species, the eastern cougar (Puma concolor cougar), called the state home. Figure 1 - Mountain lion range and confirmed sightings from 1990-2008. . Since my reported sighting of a perhaps cougar several local farmers have told me of similiar beasts they have seen. I doubt it. But, there is always a chance that one day the sighting will be real. Everyone knows that the panthers that are seen in the East are former pets released. I called the game warden, but they told me they didnt exist in this area. The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Association (TWRA) confirmed that the cat, which sniffed around on the ground and in a low-hanging tree branch before looking square into the camera with its mouth wide open, was in fact a mountain lion. People often see bobcats & mistakenly call them a mountain lion. There arent any mountain lions in Virginia, but there is hope that they may return to their original habitat! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Sarah, Snce 1890, roughly 20 people have been killed by cougars. If you have any similiar stories let me know please. The road in paved, but long(14 miles+) winding and has very few streets that are off it back here. Is this thread for real? I have helped skin and mount wild cats before and definitely know the difference. The sad thing is people I know who say theyve seen mtn lions in Botetourt and/or Bedford County, especially raccoon hunters who say their dogs treed a lion, would never come out publicly with such a statement. I called my neighbor as soon as we got home and told her the tale and she responded Yeah, I have heard several people say they have seen them up here. Which shocked me even more that she wasnt surprised! . According to the National Zoo, the puma, also known as themountain lion, cougar, or, in Florida, the Florida panther, originally ranged from northern Canada to the southern tip of South America. Like a number of other people in her communitya hunter who caught the tail end of a cat on his deer cam and a Presbyterian minister in Batesville whose neighbor saw one drinking out of a pond, to name a coupleMarchibroda knows that she saw a mountain lion, and she wants state and national wildlife agencies to take these sightings seriously. Male cougars migrate further than females, but so far only a few have followed the pattern of coyotes and reached the eastern side of North America. Various wolf packs took up residence in the nearly 900-square-mile area over the years, and this pack settled atop a massive, rocky cliffside. Mountain lions live in areas that have ample hiding places. Were not taking any action to move them or kill them. Forestry rangers said several ponies killed , others attcked off 811 near Evington, va. She has really bad gashes on her front leg, shes lame. Florida seems to be the number one place for non-native wildlife. His body was very long and had a beautiful face. Others have been clustered in the Valley. Thanks for any help, as plenty claim they are here also. Published: Oct. 12, 2022 at 9:17 AM PDT. The mountain lions that once roamed the hills and hollows of West Virginia are long gone. In comparison, deer are more dangerous. Look how long it took scientists to find the okapi. Can they fix it so it looks like it was from Caroline. His tail looked a couple of feet long! Want to see the pics? I stress that this is not a joke so please write it anyone knows how to reduce the distortion of the photos. This is not the same picture withe the cat dragging the buck. This area is on the Abingdon end of South Holston Lake. I couldnt find any paw prints. This also was a sighting near Callands, VA: my wife was out jogging on our dirt road and came across a very large bobcat, about the size of a large dog, stubby tail, brown color, only about fifty yards from her, just staring at her. Do wolves live on the Appalachian Trail, more specifically on Roan Mountain? Nobody even thinks anything of it because of its regularity. As I inched my way down the road I saw the tall grass to my left move as if something was approaching the road. Could this have been a young cougar? Places that will never see any kind of development. Weve been searching the internet to identify it, but after reading these messages it sounds as though weve seen a cougar. In reply to Beowulf it may interest you to know I accomplied a rabit hunter back to Appomattox County where he had found a cougar carcass. It stopped and looked at me for a minute, I didnt move, and then it went on into the woods where I know a rabbit lives. It was a juvenile mountain lion. Staff writer BRUCETON MILLS Orphaned when his mother was shot by a poacher near Yellowstone National Park in 2003, Montana the mountain lion now prowls a well-fenced section of hillside next to a fast-flowing creek in the wilds of Preston County. Currently, there is only one species of wild cat that lives in Virginia. It Had a very long tail, and had a light brown coloring with black spots. The mountain lion (Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. I knew not to run, so I just stood there and waited. And then my second thought was No, maybe not.. Then I heard Coyotes doing their eerie little howls. Calling All Skiers and Snowboarders Home to Massanutten, An Insiders Guide to Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, the Highest Peaks in Virginia. Fies doesn't believe that there is this thriving population that has been hidden from the world. Crossing by the large boulders on the trails was terrifying, only once did i see one behind a boulder when I passed. They then have to ensure that the picture hasnt been tampered with in any way, because Peterson said an astounding number of peopleboth misinformed wildlife enthusiasts and tricksters with too much time on their hands and access to Photoshopsend him shots of mountain lions that were clearly either edited or taken in a state out west. During one of our walks last weekend my sister spotted a very !large! Its actually kind of scary if you think about it. Updated: Jul 3, 2016 / 10:29 PM EDT. She stated that she had previously spotted one on I 40 while crossing the Cumberland Mtns. We were standing near the barn about 10 AM when we observed a disturbance about 400-600 yards off in a field near the tree line. It was as big or bigger than a german sheppard, but most definitely a cat. We do have pictures of that! As the science stands, the most likely option is that the sightings are the result of young males traveling east in search of new hunting and breeding grounds. I've seen them quite often. 1001 Virginia St. East Charleston, WV 25301 Phone: 304-348-5140 These creatures dont call Virginia home, but have been known to stop by for an occasional visit. In a small town called Coeburn. I live in Springfield VA in a subdivision, but there are wooded stream areas close by that are often used by deer and other animals to move through the area. Today is Sept. 29, 2008. I am not sure we should base the existence of mountain lions in VA. and TN on the opinions of a few biologists. What about the fact no roadkill is ever claimed to be found of a cougar? We know what we saw. The U.S. Most of the cougars around Los Angeles live in the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of the city. I see no reason to question them. Virginia's mountain lions, known as the Eastern puma, were once on the endangered species list. Except for a remnant population of Florida Panthers in southern Florida, there have been no wild cougars on the eastern side of North America since the last one was trapped in Maine in 1938. In August 2004, a cougar was captured on film near Craigsville, Virginia and identified by professional wildlife biologists of the Eastern Puma Research Network. Additionally, those unaccustomed to living near apex predators will need to adjust their way of thinking! The question is how big is the population. It does not benefit the DNR, Fish and Game Dept, etc. Someone is trying to instill fear about mountain lions on the loose in Virginia, though the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries says it's fake news. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You could check with the Dept. . I have neighbors that say they have seen them. Seems in these parts every snake they see is a copperhead (even the black with white belly ones). I would like to add it to my collection if possible. A few months later we saw another where route 740 (Sinkhole Road) intersects route 8 a few miles northwest of Stuart, VA. On both occasions it was mid-afternoon and we had a view (from a car) of the animals as they strolled 70 to 80 feet across open spaces. The Blue Ridge Mountains are prime habitat for these cats, and once they get a foothold in the region, the signs are positive that they could return. I went outside to feed my cat and in the silence of the night, early morning I heard the eerie sounds of coyotes across the hill. We have for several years seen small ones around. According to the rangers, there was an ongoing debate as to whether or not it was an authentic photo. shortly after this, it was reported in the article, a puma was killed by a sheep rancher in an adjoining W.VA county. We live in Oak Hill, Virginia, in a neighborhood. Fish and Wildlife Service has declared the eastern population of cougars extinct, but based on numerous sightings and reports, you can't be too sure. Given the great broad-side view, I couldnt help but notice its shear size the cat stood approximately 2.5-3 feet in height, and was approximately 4-5 feet in length. He said he had called the county animal control and they told him he must have seen a bob cat as no mountain lions were still in our area. I walked to my car and turned my lights on. Mountain lions in Nebraska are a division of the larger population spread through all western U.S. states, and predators move unobstructedly among Nebraska and neighboring U.S. states, especially South Dakota and Wyoming. This could cause an issue because they could go after livestock and cause problems for humans. They acted like I had schizophrenia though admitted there have been other reports.even though they do not officially exist here. It is being held at the Discovery Center at SML State Park from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on March 31st. Others, including the park ranger she met that day and wildlife experts shes reached out to since the sighting, are skeptical. We have spotted a mother black bear and cub over by the damn while hiking, scary sight but very awsome. The animal has been determined extinct, and thats just a shame, she said. But really, itll change peoples viewpoints at some point., Experts in Tennessee dont know exactly how many mountain lions are roaming the area, but they do know one thing for sure: at least one of them is a female. I opened the door and told my husband to hurry up and come outside. Lystrosaurus was one of the few terrestial species that survived the permian extinction. 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