// February 12, 2021. But Lucas says if there are big cats lurking in Upstate areas, he feels sure there would be more encounters, given the volume of deer hunting in the Carolinas. The Leopardus jacobita is a wild cat living at high elevations in the Andes of South America. South Carolina Wildlife Federation, 455 St. Andrews Road, Suite B1, Columbia, SC 29210, United States. I can tell you they werent from your everyday dog or house cat.. One popular conspiracy theory claims SCDNR has released a breeding population of western mountain lions to prevent the states surging white-tailed deer population from causing too much agricultural damage. Tom Horton; Jul 2, 2012 Jul 2, 2012 Updated Aug 20, 2020; . Cougars are rather long and slender in appearance. Location: down in a hole. They went back to the truck for buckshot. There's no question there are some. He points to Florida where, despite a known population of less than 200, several Florida panthers are killed every year by vehicles. There are no known mountain lions in North Carolina. The few precious seconds that we locked eyes thirty feet from each other will remain one of my cherished memories. I was shocked when I first saw the prints, because they were so big, said Claes. They are extremely shy and nocturnal for the most part. Except for a very small population in Florida, there are no known groups in the Southeast, or east of the Mississippi in all truthfulness.. What are potassium channel activators used for? You can legally trap and hunt bobcats with the right permit but they are endangered in some areas. Body coloration can range from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown spots. Jeff Mulhollem. They can weigh anywhere from 1025 pounds. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. Habitat. "Since 1890 there have been 19 fatal Mountain Lion attacks in Canada and the United States," Mattson said. #1 The tail. Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat. The big cat was captured after roaming free for two days. The large cats are not staying and breeding in the state. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. A distinctive feature is their 30-inch long tail (so different from our native and still abundant bobcat, which has a very short tail). Their name is derived from their short, or bobbed, tail. Currently, experts are adamant that there is no known mountain lion population in South Carolina. The mountain lion has a long tail (2.5-3 feet), while the bobcat has a short tail (less than 10 inches). The only established large cat is the bobcat in South Carolina. Some of them have migrated as far north as Jasper County in the southern tip of South Carolina, Chastain said. Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. Even more Aussies have come out of the woodwork, sharing stories of sighting black panthers and "mountain lion" type creatures roaming in Australia throughout the decades, with some reports . Even thought they're on the endangered species list. Mountain lions are an important part of the park ecosystem, helping to keep deer and other prey populations in check. 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. The dogs barked for several minutes, so I thought they had maybe treed some sort of animal,he said. This one looks almost cute, but that's because it's sleeping. Known For: Corbin Mountain is part of the Saluda Mountains, which are part of the greater Blue Ridge Mountains that traverse South Carolina. Apparently, there may not ever have even been a subspecies of the critter in the East different from its big cat cousins in the West also called mountain lions the agency goes on to report. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. Young males must find their own territory after leaving their mothers. Mountain lions can bound up to 40 feet while running, leap 15 feet up a tree, climb over a 12-foot fence, travel many miles at 10 mph, and reach speeds of 50 mph in a sprint. There are a number of answers to this question. This species is also known to hunt and potentially kill domesticated felines. This Florida population, once down to about 50 animals, is now thought to be back in excess of 100 animals as a positive result of recovery plans. The cougar (also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, catamount, puma, and other names) was once one of the most widely distributed mammals in the Western Hemisphere. They believe what they saw, said Butfiloski. Simply type the location or club name into the search bar below, and let the service begin! So rather than a unique species, the Eastern Cougar was a distinct variation within the cougar population that roamed throughout North America. I was shocked when I first saw the prints, because they were so big, said Claes. These cats separate from their mothers to find their own territory when they reach sexual maturity, and males may have to travel very far to find free territory. Back away slowly, preferably to a place of shelter like a building or vehicle. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. The largest cat native to the eastern US, adults can exceed 8 ft in total length (including their tail) and 200 lbs. 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. All rights reserved. However, that does not mean that cougars may not end up in the state at all. They are most commonly found in areas with plentiful prey and adequate cover. The last panther in the Great Smoky Mountains was dead. 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. They brought them to South Carolina in 1500. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. We can thank the Spanish for the mean wild pigs found here. DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Born Free USA, a national wildlife conservation group, estimates there are up to 20,000 big cats owned privately across North America. . 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. A responder adds, 'The DNR swears up and down there are no mountain lions left in SC. As a result, they are known to thrive in a wide range of ecosystems, so long as there is enough shelter and prey for the animals to live on. Are there black panthers in eastern North Carolina? Also have positively ID'ed a large cat tracks on a pond dam on the same property, and the owner saw one 5+ years ago and now carries a .44 Mag on his hip whenever he goes hunting. Use anything at your disposal: a stick, rock, or better yet, bear spray. (You know, like the mascot of the NFL team based in Charlotte). The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists both of these races as endangered. Theyve been here for thousands of years, Chastain said. 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. 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). In 2017, SCDNR issued a warning about these dangerous sea creatures showing up on beaches. Nothing there, however, is meaner than the redbugs which inhabit the pine straw. Im not the only person hearing and seeing these cats, said Koehler. For years state biologists have treated sightings with suspicion. Kristin Hitchcock. Sassafras Mt. The main reason people believe that there is a mountain lion population is that there have been some reported sightings. However, they're becoming more and more of an issue in the Piedmont. In big cats, black panthers are actually jaguars or leopards. Adding more confusion to the situation is the small population of elusive panthers living in the Florida Everglades. We Inspire. The Portuguese Man O'War is seldom seen in the Palmetto State and has a venomous sting that can kill an animal, and rarely humans although humans have died from complications from the sting. Scientists view these large cats as a distinct population (but still the same species) from the mountain lions of the western U.S. In fact, there are more than 80 names for the puma, more names than any other animal, according to the book "Cougar: The American Lion," by Kevin Hansen.It is important to note, though, that pumas . The city of Simpsonville has also received calls about mountain lions over the years, according to Colleen Jenkins, an animal code enforcement officer for the city. 2. See more columns online at www.moultrienews.com. But there are still instances where new creatures are spotted here from time to time and, even worse, a population of a dangerous species spreads into our own backyard, effectively infiltrating suburban life. Cougars were eliminated from our state, as they were throughout much of the eastern US, for a combination of reasons including: a) loss of much of the forest and deer herd during the heavy agricultural activity of the late 1800's and b) the cougar's habit of substituting livestock for wild prey items (in the latter cases, stock owners typically took direct and terminal action against the cougars). We want to connect with you to know your story and learn more about all you will contribute to the Furman community. At the time of European settlement it occupied a wide range of habitats from Canada well into parts of South America, and was found throughout the continental United States. So if there arent any Eastern cougars to be protected, it seems there wont be any need to worry about protecting their habitat anymore. Staying Safe Around Wild Cats in South Carolina Image Credit: milesz, Pixabay. South Carolinas collection of exotic pets includes mountain lions, tigers, and other big cat species, according to Butfiloski. Its a chick magnet, its a cool thing, Chastain said. 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.. 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. Contact: (855) 411-0505. Visit his Web site at www.historyslostmoments.com. Are there Mountain Lions in South Carolina? But I think many people are mistaking coyotes, bobcats, and other animals for mountain lions.. There has never been a record or credible account of a black cougar in Eastern North America, Chastain said. At first, Koehler was concerned that it might be a woman or hiker in need of help. My fears were that folks would say that dusk had played tricks on my eyes, that somebody's big Tom was on the prowl. Their beige or tawny fur helps camouflage them in countless environments. More:What's it like standing all day dressed up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at people? Search for cougars continues in Pennsylvania. Yesterday around 5 p.m., my husband, a realtor and myself had a Mountain Lion jump the road in front of us about 30 yards ahead of us while walking a 19 acre property in Murphy NC mountains! The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. There are many reports made to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources each year about mountain lions. The male mountain lion is a new individual to the lab's DNA database. Only government bureaucrats could come up with a twist of logic like that. 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. Stay on top of dog food recalls here >, Have a question? However, the 1946 taxonomy is now in question. Mountain lions were once native to South Carolina. They did at one point, but the last one was spotted in the early 1900s. Heres how that came about: People go to a pet store and buy a baby cougar. This, after the most famous mountain lion in Los Angeles, known as P-22, died in December . Suddenly, the children saw a movement and a mountain lion came walking down the trail . This mountain sits near the border of South Carolina and North Carolina. Butfiloski, however, believes black panther sightings are likely black coyotes, bears, bobcats, and other wild animals. More recent mountain lion reports stem from the Upstate. We Connect. Fish and Wildlife . There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. More likely these sightings are dogs, bears or even house cats.. These beautiful areas were carved with flowing water. The report said it appeared to be a female lion with two kittens, or two . There are some sightings of cougars in the area as well. Someone will ask why I didn't take a picture to confirm my sighting and the answer is that it all happened so fast -- thirty seconds and the cat vamoosed. My father encountered one on U.S. Highway 172 north of Summerville 40 years ago. South Carolinians are likely seeing something, even if its not a mountain lion. 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 2011 article from The Post and Courier revealed a string of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in the Lowcountry. Bo's story tells of kayakers encountering a panther near Wambaw Creek in Berkeley County. Some people even claim SCDNR is covering up the presence of mountain lions. LaRue, for instance, said people are probably seeing a house cat or black lab. Sometimes, they travel quite far to make this happen and they may travel so far that they end up in South Carolina. Even thought they're . The eastern cougar historically lived from Maine to South Carolina and from Michigan to Tennessee, the wildlife service said. . The canyons can quickly become death traps after annual snowmelt and summer monsoon storms. Sometimes, these cats get pushed very far away from where they were born.. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. I listened to bobcats, coyotes, and all kinds of other animals. Big Cat arched his back the way cats do when alarmed, and he bounded into the woods. If the sighting could have possibly been something else, then the state cannot confirm it as a mountain lion. Adult females are smaller, averaging 80-90 pounds. See answer (1) Copy. 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. The reason given is that it had declared the animal to be extinct in 2011. However, without females in the area, males are unlikely to stay for long. You're probably more likely to get into the Hardrock 100-and win it-than to see a mountain lion east of the Mississippi River.There are no mountain lions in Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Newfoundland and . Usually a shy cat, the cougar prefers to stalk its prey and is rarely ever a threat to people. Whether theyre called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, breeding population in the western U.S and, a. ccording to both the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, transient western cougars have been spotted in both states since 2015. 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. Where have there been recent mountain lion reports in the Upstate? Just as armadillo sightings and occasional crocodile visits are being noted around our coast, it's possible, that the Florida panther has made his way north, too. Input your search keywords and press Enter. However, these are far-off occasions and are a rare sight in the more rural areas of New York state. 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