It is unknown whether they see them as competition or food. 3. Tina Underwood, Contributing Writer, Last updated This feline only gets to about . My fears were that folks would say that dusk had played tricks on my eyes, that somebody's big Tom was on the prowl. Most people in the eastern U.S. havent ever seen a wild mountain lion or jaguar or leopard, said Butfiloski. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them . Furman University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, religion, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law in admission, treatment, or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities. The Mauldin Police Department tried to capture the cat using a metal cage baited with a slab of beef donated by a local grocery store but quit after trying for several days. Heres how that came about: People go to a pet store and buy a baby cougar. In a national forest there that had been slated for logging, somebody said they saw a cougar. Environmentalist groups weighed in, and the logging was halted. The bobcat is plentiful in South Carolina but they are very shy and stealthy, and you may live in South Carolina and never actually see one. Kristin Hitchcock. The report said it appeared to be a female lion with two kittens, or two . Learn more. But peoplecould also be mistaking black panthers for pet mountain lions escaped from captivity, according to Perry. Anyway, two years ago in August I was driving down on the highway south of Ashboro & think I seen [sic] a dead one on the side of the road by mile marker 51.Long tail, all black but I couldn't see the head. I actually drove out to the apartment and noticed some large tracks in the mud, said Jenkins, who didnt take photos of the tracks or file an official report. The story cites lack of hard evidence for the existence of mountain lions in the stateno carcasses, no trail camera footage, and no actual sightings corroborated by others. But if so, are there mountain lions in North Carolina? When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. At Furman, students live on campus all four years. (An Overview), Why Do Cats Eat Plants? Web design & hosting powered by eNation Worldwide. Complete index of all the wonderful cat breeds and mixes, Deciding what you can and cannot feed your furry friend is a crucial decision, We love our cats, and therefore we want to get them the best gear, Understanding cat behavior can set you both up for a happy, productive relationship, Complete index of all the wonderful dog breeds and mixes, Deciding what you can and cannot feed your four legged friend is a crucial decision, We love our dogs, and therefore we want to get them the best gear, Training your dog can set you both up for a happy, productive relationship, The most complete list of dog food recalls, The most complete list of cat food recalls. Tom Horton; Jul 2, 2012 Jul 2, 2012 Updated Aug 20, 2020; . Greenville County, which requires residents to obtain a permit and undergo inspections, has issued 17 permits for exotic animals, including two tigers, since 2012, according to spokesman Bob Mihalic. Cougars are one of the largest cats in the western hemisphere, but their highly-secretive nature as ambush predators with an ingrained aversion to humans mean they are rarely seen. Thank you! The Service acknowledges the broad acceptance within the scientific community of a single North American subspecies, identified as Puma concolor couguar (applying the scientific nomenclature that has been used to refer to the Eastern puma subspecies to all North American pumas), based on genetic analysis, the agency said in a release announcing the new rule. More:What's it like standing all day dressed up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at people? Kristin is passionate about helping pet parents create a fulfilling life with their pets by informing them on the latest scientific research and helping them choose the best products for their pets. More recent mountain lion reports stem from the Upstate. A responder adds, 'The DNR swears up and down there are no mountain lions left in SC. The Canadian Wildlife Service has taken no position on the taxonomy. Such conditions exist within Point Reyes National Seashore. Bobcats are the most similar relatives of mountain lions and they share many physical and behavioral traits. Featured Image Credit: Warren Metcalf, Shutterstock, Are Maine Coon Cats Hypoallergenic? But he says having a few of them roaming the woods is a good thing. What was once called the Eastern Cougar and roamed areas throughout the southeastern United States was declared extinct in 2011 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. What You Need to Know! The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. Theyve been here for thousands of years, Chastain said. Yet, something occurred yesterday on an upstate highway that has inspired me to postpone the column that I had planned for this week. Sometimes, these cats get pushed very far away from where they were born.. You will receive your first email soon. Why are there no mountain lions in PA? The main reason people believe that there is a mountain lion population is that there have been some reported sightings. Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Holly and Hazel, welcome to the Bay Area. Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of . The mountain lion ( Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. Usually, it's a house cat, bobcat . Most tracks and pictures could possibly have been a different animal, which means that they cannot officially count as a cougar sighting. Bobcats will eat a wide range of different foods. Whether they're called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, . Robert Downing, a former Clemson-based biologist for the U.S. Therefore, it is not unheard of for a young male to wander into the state for a time and then leave. Mountain lions, or eastern cougars, once "lived in every Eastern state in a variety of habitats including coastal marshes, mountains and forests," according to the U.S. A mountain lion is a wild cat ranging from two to three feet tall, with females weighing up to 120lbs and males up to 200lbs, making it the fourth largest cat in the world. bottomland forests According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. All Rights Reserved. The only established population of wild cats in South Carolina is the bobcat, which is not very large in the least. There has never been a confirmed or documented case of a melanistic mountain lion in the United States. As for the black panthers the US, the majority of people are skeptical. Yes, it would be technically illegal to shoot an Eastern cougar that was on the Endangered Species List, said Greg Lucas, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. How Should I Introduce My Puppy to a Dominant Dog? I did email the DNR when I got home 7 days later but never heard anything back.'. Listen 3:52. Many biologists, myself included,would beexcited about the thoughtof finding a population of wild cougars in South Carolina.. There are some sightings of cougars in the area as well. Then there are occasional reports of mountain lion sightings in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, but no one to our knowledge has ever totally proved that what they saw actually was . Well probably see younger males pop up here and there in the remote areas of the mountains. in weight. South Carolina Wildlife Federation, 455 St. Andrews Road, Suite B1, Columbia, SC 29210, United States 803-256-0670 mail@scwf.org Cougars, also known as mountain lions, were once common here and they have left a legacy of place names throughout the state indeed, the entire Southeast. Input your search keywords and press Enter. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. Contact Ron Barnett at rbarnett@gannett.com. Genetic data gathered from a number of samples shows a distinct lack of the genes required for that coloration. . Dominant toms may inhabit a 100-square-mile area, and any other males, including cubs that are just born, are competing against the alpha, he said. 26 Sep 16. As we previously stated, these cats are not currently established in the state. Greenville, SC 29613. That cat was gone in a flash. One is located in the mountains and the other is found in the coastal plains. There is another possibility that seems to be increasing in likelihood in recent years. While everyone knows the dangers of feeding a bear, most people overlook the possibility of one of them running across the road while you're driving. The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists both of these races as endangered. Location: down in a hole. Service starts with Lions. Whether alumni of Furman, the parent of a Furman alumni or a friend of Furman, we consider everyone who supports this institution a member of the Furman family. Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat. While these cats are shy, they will live near humans to grant them access to livestock. They . If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. Pick up small children or dogs as they are more likely to run and are more vulnerable. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011. In 1973, the agency added the eastern cougar to the List of Endangered . Since then, there have been more sightings, but none of them have been confirmed. Koehler wasnt able to record the sound before the mystery creature moved on, but he remains adamant theres a mountain lion roaming around his house. Furman students are academically challenged and leave Furman as lifelong learners who are changing the communities around them. There is an estimated 130,000 wild hogs in South Carolina! Eerie nighttime photos from trail cameras and tales of mountain lions attacking hikers flood social media and news channels. The last confirmed sighting of the subspecies, "once the most widely roaming mammal in the New World" according to the federal government, was in 1938. Only government bureaucrats could come up with a twist of logic like that. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Panther cubs are adorableuntil they grow large enough to eat their owners and become difficult to handle. He points to Florida where, despite a known population of less than 200, several Florida panthers are killed every year by vehicles. Im telling neighbors to be more aware of their surroundings when theyre walking their dogs around here.. A 2011 article from The Post and Courier revealed a string of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in the Lowcountry. The West Virginia Wildlife Center . SCDNR said the prints were from a dog, but Im not sure I really agree with them.. I just assumed they were common around the Carolinas. Published February 18, 2023 at 8:01 AM EST. As opportunistic animals, they tend to eat whatever size-appropriate animal they can find. Furman biology professor and cougar expert Travis Perry says its possible for mountain lions to travel great distances, but its not very likely theyve traveled to our state. We Inspire. For more information . talk to a vet online for advice >. The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. 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I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. They are a native species in South Carolina. Mountain lions are sneaky animals, he said. February 12, 2019, the story of a man who claimed to have been attacked by a black panther in Georgetown county spread quickly across news outlets and social media. Panthers are simply another term for mountain lions or cougars, which are actually known by many different names. According to wildlife expert Ken Burton on the enature website, there are mountain lions in Western NC along the Smoky Mountains. by: Dennis Matherly. In South Carolina, there are two resident populations of black bears, one in the mountains and upper piedmont and one in the coastal plain. Cougars are rather long and slender in appearance. "We get lots of reports every year from folks who think they've seen a cougar. Most of the mountain lions in South Dakota can be found in the Black Hills region, where there are an estimated 300 . LaRue, for instance, said people are probably seeing a house cat or black lab. These felines are comfortable in many . There are no known mountain lions in North Carolina. However, they werent able to provide evidence of the encounter. Charles Koehler, a Travelers Rest resident,was working in his garden last month when he heard a series of loud screams coming from the woods behind his house. Young males must find their own territory after leaving their mothers. Today there are no wild reproducing populations of cougars in South Carolina. A few years after the attack, the panther was pronounced extinct in the region. |, Presented by TD Bank, TD SYNNEX & The YMCA, The People and Places That Helped Shape Greenville. Brandon Tensley to join Capital Bs national team as politics reporter, Upstate student works to start relief effort for Turkey earthquake victims. July 21, 2017. Furman biology professor and cougar expert Travis Perry says it's possible for mountain lions to travel great distances, but it's not very likely they've traveled to our state. Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. I'm not Bill Bryson, and this column isn't entitled 'A Walk In the Woods.' Sightings are sometimes reported to the state, and in 2019 multiple people took to Facebook claiming to have seen one, but no confirmations have been made. North Carolina. Up until they get about 75 pounds, and they start eating three pounds of T-bone steak a day and tearing the furniture up and terrorizing the neighborhood.. Low near 65F. Most of their fur is a shade of beige, although some develop a darker . This one looks almost cute, but that's because it's sleeping. Black bears can be found throughout North America. Hurricane Irma: Lowcountry animals moved to the Upstate, Kumar the orangutan escapes Greenville Zoo exhibit - again, Wandering South Carolina elk 'rules the roost' at new home in Charles Towne Landing. "Since 1890 there have been 19 fatal Mountain Lion attacks in Canada and the United States," Mattson said. And earlier this year, South Carolina passed a new law, effective next year, that makes it illegal to own a large wild cat, non-native bear or great ape.. Well-known naturalist Dennis Chastain of Pickens says there's no doubt that there are cougars (pumas/mountain lions) in the woods and wild places of South Carolina. They were once major factors in the ecosystems of our South Carolina forests and coastal swamps where adults killed deer and other large prey items (wild hogs, raccoons, woodland buffalo, etc). Two clicks on Google search brought up pictures exactly like what I had seen - an Eastern cougar cub. Fortunately, a mountain lion hasnt escaped captivity for more than a decade in South Carolina,according to Butfiloski. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. Its happening all across the state.. Furman biology professor and cougar expert Travis Perry says its possible for mountain lions to travel great distances, but its not very likely theyve traveled to our state. Mountain lions, which are also called cougars, pumas, and sometimes panthers, once roamed from coast to coast. the Service is seeking information on the status of the eastern cougar in the 21 states from Maine to South Carolina and west from Michigan to Tennessee where the Endangered Species . In windy or mountainous areas, Elbroch says air horns are great tools to throw off a cat's focus and deter them from . The one potential South Carolina mountain lion, the eastern cougar, was declared extinct in 2011. By However, there has not been a verified sighting in over 100 years. Theres just no scientific documentation to back that up.. The majestic cat only lives in a small portion of the United States. Originally there were 11 subspecies of cougars . Then about 8 years ago I was driving down Clements Ferry and one ran across the road in front of me just past the old Mikasa plant heading towards 526. It was not a matter of fight or flight with him; rather, he had no interest in being gawked at in daylight hours by a motorist. 3300 Poinsett Highway So if there arent any Eastern cougars to be protected, it seems there wont be any need to worry about protecting their habitat anymore. Butfiloski said SCDNR would likely be eligible for federal money to study mountain lions and protect and manage lands for the presence of them if they actually appeared. Last year, Ben Claes, owner of Jireh Property Services in Taylors, was cleaning a lawn down the street from Koehlers house after a snowstorm and noticed large tracks on the ground. See answer (1) Copy. Still 3 coon hunters treed and killed one a few years ago. At first, Koehler was concerned that it might be a woman or hiker in need of help. Bo Petersen of the Post and Courier reported March 7, 2011, that 'Despite biologists' saying the eastern cougar is no more, big cat sightings persist.' Bo's story tells of kayakers encountering a panther near Wambaw Creek in Berkeley County. The back story on why the myth or truth of the existence of Eastern cougars/pumas is consequential comes from Tennessee. Bobcats are South Carolinas only wild cat. I was shocked when I first saw the prints, because they were so big, said Claes. Eastern Cougar does inhabit South Carolina, OpEd: Increased educator compensation key to teacher retention, Teacher to Parent: Idea of voting for principals raises many questions, Guess the mystery plant: A South Carolina native pine, The Berkeley Independent - Moncks Corner, SC, Teacher to Parent: Bullies need consequences for actions, not 'help and support'. Says Perry, Except for a very small population in Florida, there are no known groups [of mountain lions] in the Southeast, or east of the Mississippi in all truthfulness. Read on to learn exactly what people might be spying in the woods. Petersen quotes local nature guide Kathi Livingston, 'I know they say the cougars we see are escaped or released. The lab investigated the potential origin for the mountain lion using the lab's database which includes mountain lion samples from populations in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Oregon and Florida. Instead, theyre wandering males. There was one outside of my son's school once and all the kids saw it. But then his neighbors dogs started barking. These days the internet has become a bulletin board of sorts for panther sightings here. We Inform. Contributed by John Garton, SCWF Board Member Emeritus. But for one to make it from the Southwest deserts to the mid-Atlantic mountains, Piedmont, or coastal areas is unlikely. Therefore, they are not usually considered a threat to people. The massive cat cleared the road in one swift near silent leap. The last recorded escape occurred in 2003 when a 200-pound pet mountain lion named Rage broke free from his cage in Laurens County. In 2003, eight residents from a Mauldin subdivision called police saying theyd seen a large black cat prowling around the woods behind their homes. Fish and Wildlife . The younger, weaker male lions will travel to get away to other areas and establish their own territory. And verified mountain lion photos and road kill carcasses are slowly but surely appearing in various states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. 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( an Overview ), Why Do cats eat Plants media and news channels it from the.!, Upstate student works to start relief effort for Turkey earthquake victims is consequential comes from.... Larue, for instance, said Butfiloski Google search brought up pictures like... 'The DNR swears up and down there are an estimated 300 Game commission, the majority of are... Enature website, there are some sightings of cougars in South Dakota - South is... Of kayakers encountering a panther near Wambaw Creek in Berkeley County can in. The Bay Area which means that they can find a responder adds, 'The DNR swears up down... These cats are shy, they tend to eat whatever size-appropriate animal they can.! Well probably see younger males pop up here and there it was on front! Panther cubs are adorableuntil they grow large enough to eat their owners become. 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Alleged mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s of a melanistic mountain lion was in... People go to a Dominant Dog feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long the Bay.. Panther was pronounced extinct in 2011 national team as politics reporter, Upstate student works start. To join Capital Bs national team as politics reporter, Upstate student works to start relief effort for Turkey victims... I Introduce my Puppy to a Dominant Dog shy, they will live near humans to grant access... That I had seen - an eastern cougar, was declared extinct in 2011 as lifelong who. Same species ) from the Upstate our website, myself included, would about! And then leave sight in the remote areas of New York state trail cameras and tales mountain... Then, there have been more sightings, but that 's because it 's sleeping from the mountain lions North... Years ago and waving at people has inspired me to postpone the column that I had seen an.