"The mountain lion continued moving east across the river and to a … -By Sandra Trapani June 7, 2018 at 02:42:17 PM. How much do you agree with the following statements in the scale of 1, Strongly Disagree, to 5, Strongly Agree? Other tangible physical evidence verified by two qualified professionals approved by MassWildlife. Let’s check out what a real mountain lion looks like: We vote domestic cat, but it’s close. If a mountain lion posed a threat, the team could be called upon to handle it. The tracks are believed to have been made by the same mountain lion that was seen in Minnesota, Michigan, upstate New York, and Connecticut, before later being struck by an SUV and killed in Connecticut on a highway that same year. There have been only two cases where evidence supports the presence of a Mountain Lion in Massachusetts. There is also a small population in southern Florida. Car Crash 65 Miles From Mass. 97 0 obj <> endobj The Connecticut mountain lion, for example, was traced to a population in the Dakotas. 8^[�-��}�P"�&h#z:$�?5�x�!���,/��s�?E�O�,Ix��؈�/N|W�.�i=�s��F��3���9'�0�k��!���^v�?�@�Ǐ��h/�������C{�}�����g��#1ޏD��_l&9�x�W�G,�'F�����%v��3� I was on the highway coming South off the Massachusetts turnpike from the University of MA in Amherst, MA onto I-90 near the Berkshire mountains. Sighting of this animal also occurred in Michigan and New York. Some of these photos have taken on urban legend status. {�{�ú��y��ȃ��1�}o/{�K�L�w� Mistaken reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts are most commonly Bobcats. This is a list of known or suspected fatal cougar attacks that occurred in North America by decade in chronological order.The cougar is also commonly known as mountain lion, puma, mountain cat, catamount, or panther.The sub-population in Florida is known as the Florida panther.. A total of 125 attacks, 27 of which are fatal, have been documented in North America in the past 100 years. All other reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts have turned out to be other animals. Photos, including video, in which a Mountain Lion can be identified and MassWildlife can confirm the location. Television news has been abuzz up here in Massachusetts this week with the news that someone thinks he saw a mountain lion in a Boston suburb: A mountain lion may have been spotted in Winchester Tuesday. A possible mountain lion was spotted in Leicester, Massachusetts, and officials are working to positively identify the animal sighted. Mass.gov® is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. MassWildlife bases the criteria on a system created by The Cougar Network. There is no evidence of a reproducing Mountain Lion population in Massachusetts. MassWildlife cannot investigate or confirm Mountain Lion reports without any evidence. "I think we've had maybe a couple or a few that might have been real and gone through the state, but that's it." Coyotes have also been mistaken for Mountain Lions. An adult male bobcat can reach four feet in length and 35-40 pounds. This page, Are there Mountain Lions in Massachusetts?, is, in the scale of 1, Strongly Disagree, to 5, Strongly Agree, Professional Training & Career Development. !��: Mountain lions don’t usually travel more than 100 miles from where they are born. Yet this young male traveled about 1,800 miles. A mountain lion is a feline of many names. The document states that mountain lions sightings in Massachusetts are cases of mistaken identity, with the animals in question turning out to be bobcats, coyotes and even domestic cats. IF they are here, odds of an encounter are slim- made slimmer by the fact they would have no interest in us. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included . These tracks were fresh and well photographed. A Massachusetts woman whose horse was injured in June says DNA testing has confirmed that a mountain lion visited her property, but state experts aren't so sure. Watch Queue Queue To date, the only other confirmed evidence of a wild Mountain Lion in Massachusetts was found on March 4, 2011, when Steve Ward, a DCR forester, discovered and photographed a track trail in the snow crossing a frozen cove near the southwestern end of Quabbin Reservoir. U.S. FOREST SERVICE PHOTO Bobcats are common in Western Massachusetts. Social media users have posted a number of believed sightings in the Parlee Road area. There is also a small population in southern Florida. However, Animal Control Officer Mark Cianci said area patrols have revealed no evidence. The picture may not be the clearest, but it’s most certainly not a … But are there mountain lions living in New Hampshire? Over a period of a year and a half, this Mountain Lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. A mountain lion, seen above, was sighted on Ash Street in Webster Sunday. The USDA's Forest Service Wildlife Genetics Laboratory found that the animal came from South Dakota. The tail definitely resembles a mountain lion, but it seems too fat and stumpy to be a mountain lion. McCarter sent a sample to Dr. George Amato of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York and Dr. Melanie Culver of the University of Maryland. Despite this fact, Massachusetts residents continue to report Mountain Lion sightings. WCVB - Boston • December 1, 2016. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. (BDN) -- Are there mountain lions in Maine?There have been frequent reports about mountain lion or cougar sightings in our state, and always they seem to be met with doubt or outright debunking. Mountain Lion Killed In Conn. "It's absolutely clear we do not have any populations of mountain lions," French said. 122 0 obj <>stream MassWildlife uses evidence-based criteria for confirming Mountain Lion reports. The LION SLEEPS 2KNIGHT. MassWildlife and the Cougar Network have accepted this record as a Class 1 Confirmation. It is also known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamount. Mountain lion in Massachusetts? A mountain lion slaughtered 10 of her pet alpacas Saturday night. Credit: Michelle Lafleche, Facebook What do you think? I personally think that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I do get his point. "Ny�� Q����p.s"�xWP�#�� EN9� Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. ��B7���Y�� If Mountain Lions returned to Massachusetts, there is no need to update current forest management practices. “Many people do not realize how large a grown bobcat is. State law protects all species unless otherwise noted. Re(1): 110% Mountain Lion Sighting 15 minutes outside UMass Amherst! The body of a dead mountain Lion, or a live wild-captured animal, is available for examination. BorderA mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in the town of Milford, CT, about 65 miles from the Massachusetts border. The last catamount in Vermont is finally, officially, certainly dead. �ڣn�g���=t26��;���S����{n����ڌwiӻO��B������6�E�u���t�'��D��O�G~w�A� ��!��A�eU�lX�. On the outside chance that there are mountain lions or wolves here in Massachusetts, it drives me crazy when these reports enhance peoples fears of the woods. The Connecticut Mountain Lion is the best documented wild Mountain Lion in New England. All but two recent known and evidence-based reports of mountain lions in Massachusetts have been false, state’s biologists concluded. While these accounts can't be discredited out-of-hand, PLEASE be skeptical and don't change the way you enjoy the … There are two records of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts that meet the evidence requirements for a Class 1 or a Class 2 Confirmation. Social media users … 3. All these photos were taken in a state other than Massachusetts. -By Joe April 23, 2019 at 07:38:32 AM This video is unavailable. Also, Bobcats are spreading into areas in which they have not been seen before. The young adult male was killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011. 111 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<4CC551DE8ADCC04EB424B8E69D603E4B>]/Index[97 26]/Info 96 0 R/Length 81/Prev 763087/Root 98 0 R/Size 123/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream �zjܬ�8�(�-�uY*��s]�c^g����7��@͚�5�y�5L�e��n5����}lMP�h��E]������R�&lj20�!������[��p��g���a�� >����kH!L3�C�� PB5,�4��/-X�-|�;X�7�Y����캰}�nKW��K;��b����Q�Z�K�_¡v��C�5k�ฮ�pX�]�@�=Dm$�-]��cU����h����*_:u^h�^@ ��w��p8>�����>���ݟ�F�t��'�.σ�QE��Y��]~f�t("S����n��:Ao�I&%_���j[m޴�@�����'�Sՙp!`��6TU��y��BPd����J������� 'A��'�1�Q�{���\nEH�{��}�]DL�F�`�0v�4�0'�1�uWe,�>"��t>]�Ml��+^���F��Q�֔�wU�w1Hh��* I saw a mountain lion cat in the Berkshires during the day! Mountain lions are believed not to exist in Massachusetts, but that only means they don't live or breed here. (Facebook / Michelle Lefleche) Webster residents say they spotted a mountain lion roaming around a … The mountain lion attacked a deputy and multiple shots were fired at the animal. There are always rumors about what state fish and wildlife agencies in the eastern United States know about Mountain Lions. Mountain Lions in Massachusetts Mountain Lions became scarce in the East after a bounty system wiped out most predatory animals. A resident in the area of Ridge Street near Locke Farm told police he’s confident he saw a mountain lion. 2. Your feedback will not receive a response. In April 199, a hunter found unusual animal scat near the Quabbin Reservoir; lab tests confirmed it came from a mountain lion. “And we’ve had two confirmed reports of mountain lions: one from DNA evidence in scat in 1997 and one from tracks in 2011.” When a young adult male mountain lion was struck and killed by an SUV in Milford, Conn., in 2011, DNA analysis showed the animal had traveled 1,800 miles, raising speculation that it might have left the tracks found in Massachusetts a few months earlier. endstream endobj 98 0 obj <> endobj 99 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 432.0 630.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 100 0 obj <>stream In his Massachusetts Wildlife Magazine article, "Mountain Lions in Massachusetts," Dr. Tom French relates, "Seeing the real thing is always possible, but a sighting of a genuine mountain lion in New England is so rare that it is the wildlife equivalent of winning a jackpot in the Mega Millions jackpot." The scientific name for the catamount is Puma concolor. They can grow as large as 200 pounds and have long tails. Mountain Lions became scarce in the East after a bounty system wiped out most predatory animals. Do not include sensitive information, such as Social Security or bank account numbers. “Mistaken reports of mountain lions in Massachusetts are most commonly bobcats,” the post reads. Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th. Nowadays, many reports include photographic evidence, thanks to camera phones and trail cameras. At present, though, most scientists refer to the animal as “puma.” There are around 32 recorded subspecies of mountain lions. MassWildlife recognizes two classes of Mountain Lion confirmation: Class 1 Confirmations - evidence requirements: 1. 0 Further, it is already illegal to kill a Mountain Lion in Massachusetts. H�\�݊�@��. h�b```"5!��1��i*L,�&����N�v��; ��uD���ވ�V{�5.��Tͪ�3����:�����Bb�"��oh��@�OE�I��Ŕ]����,��@%En9�P��tBiv��� ���t^eOD: ��ֵ40t00�Vt ɎF� )䄃D$�֊������A�4�h:�d *tj$�r��]x��4��������@��A�E��-=��ۘN�o6``�?ʘ���=�e��$��x�|Ҍ@� � v e endstream endobj startxref All other reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts have turned out to be other animals. Its closest living relative is the cheetah. Cougars are lean, mean, killing machines. %%EOF However, dispersing western mountain lions have left evidence as close as Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. Class 2 Confirmations - evidence requirements: 1. People even report House Cats as Mountain Lions in a surprising number of cases. Mark Elbroch doesn’t think so. He says when you’ve got a mountain lion in town, it’s kinda obvious. The last Massachusetts mountain lion was killed in 1858, and like wolves the animals had been subject to bounty killing, significantly reducing the population, he said. Its scientific name is Puma concolor. We will use this information to improve the site. In certain situations, the similarities in the silhouette are remarkable. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Today, Mountain Lions are found in the mountainous regions of the West. In March 2011, DCR forester Steve Ward photographed a track trail in the snow near the Gate 8 boat launch area of Quabbin Reservoir. 2. None of the rumors are true. 110% Mountain Lion Sighting 15 minutes outside UMass Amherst! h�bbd``b`��@��H���l�W���b�)�$D� � !�$�V3012| ���H4��;@� v, is available for analysis by two independent labs. Both labs confirmed the sample came from a Mountain lion. %PDF-1.6 %���� Would you like to provide additional feedback to help improve Mass.gov? CHELMSFORD -- A mysterious creature is afoot in town, and some residents believe it to be a mountain lion, roaming the area. A Mountain Lion Cover Up ? In March 2011, Steve Ward, a DCR forester in the state of Massachusetts, photographed tracks in the Quabbin Reservoir. 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 … Get more news and updates -- sign up for our newsletter at chelmsford.wickedlocal.com. State, independent experts disagree. endstream endobj 101 0 obj <>stream It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. hެVmo�6����b�N"%J����^����f[��D�Z��Jt��m9u����R��9���'8nꇌ{���G1���"�n&��Ǹ�|���KO�K�FC�������^���x¦�h5��]ݔ��р��y��3�R�x��jr����4����̛�QFC��[����_�0�ۡ����[?��9��:˫\�ՠj���0�Nu��T��ƒi�����ٸ"�TW�%‡�Z���lnX� �U3��s}����. This form only gathers feedback about the website. DNA evidence from hair, scat, etc. Are there Mountain Lions in NH? In March 2011, a forester photographed animal tracks in the snow near the Quabbin, which were again confirmed to be from a mountain lion. It is difficult to know if someone saw a Mountain Lion without any tangible evidence. Typically the state is able to debunk reported mountain lion sightings. A spokesman for the department referred to an article on their website, "Are there Mountain Lions in Massachusetts?" Track sets or photos of track sets, verified by two qualified professionals approved by MassWildlife. These tracks may have been made by the Mountain Lion documented in Greenwich, Connecticut on June 5, 2011, and killed by a vehicle six days later. Tracking experts Paul Rezendes, Charles Worsham, George Leoniak, and Dr. Mark Elbroch examined the photos. CHELMSFORD -- A mysterious creature is afoot in town, and some residents believe it to be a mountain lion, roaming the area. Today, Mountain Lions are found in the mountainous regions of the West. This is the longest documented travel distance of a Mountain Lion. The species that once inhabited the Northeast, known as the eastern mountain lion, is now extinct. Despite numerous reports, the NH Fish and Game Department continues to have no physical evidence of mountain lion presence in the state. This mountain lion was documented by DNA samples from Minnesota and Wisconsin between December 2009 and early 2010. Bobcats, which are common in Western Massachusetts, have short or bobbed tails relative to their body size. It holds the Guinness world record for the animal that has the most number of names. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. In April 1997, experienced tracker John McCarter found scat near a beaver carcass at the Quabbin Reservation. If you’re still curious, read on to brush up on your Mountain Lion knowledge. That just looks like a spoiled American cat that eats too much food. 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