However, these are far-off occasions and are a rare sight in the more rural areas of New York state. Everyone knows to watch out for alligators and sharks along the coast and for the occasional bear in the mountain, but here are five possibly out-of-place creatures to keep a keen eye out for. 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 . Theyve been here for thousands of years, Chastain said. But they arent true Eastern cougars. Currently, there has not been a verified sighting in over 100 years. Greenville Journal. North Carolina - North Carolina's mountain lion population is said to have died out around the year 1900. The majestic cat only lives in a small portion of the United States. The largest cat native to the eastern US, adults can exceed 8 ft in total length (including their tail) and 200 lbs. In 2017, SCDNR issued a warning about these dangerous sea creatures showing up on beaches. Listen 3:52. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. // February 12, 2021. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. But its still against the law to shoot one. Cougars are known to have a long-range, especially males. South Carolina can probably expect to see one in the next decade given the rate at which these lions are showing up east and north of their established ranges, said Perry. What's it like standing all day dressed up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at people? Body coloration can range from tan to gray and cubs are usually covered with blackish brown spots. They are normally found in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. However, they have not been able to confirm any of these sightings. Then, rather than establish a territory like they would in the West where they are far more numerous, they adopt "a vagabond strategy and roam an area of hundreds of square miles, Chastain 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. 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. Bobcats are South Carolinas only wild cat. Contact: (855) 411-0505. The head was round and large, the color was mottled brown, the height exceeded that of a house cat - that tail - well, it was as long as the cat and very thick. People who report these sightings come from all walks of life, and areusually sincere and honest. 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. Their bobbed tail is one of their most distinguishing features. The last panther in the Great Smoky Mountains was dead. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. Mountain lions, which are also called cougars, pumas, and sometimes panthers, once roamed from coast to coast. 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. Mountain lions cover a huge range - all the way from Alaska to Argentina and southern Chile. The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. Driving along U.S. 341 an hour before sunset near the intersection of Winterhaven Road, one mile east of Kershaw, I saw what appeared to be a very large Tom cat crossing the road. Even thought they're . Yet "domestic coyotes are responsible for 20 deaths every year." "The actual threat to people by . 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. Despite this, S.C. Department of Natural Resources spokesman Greg Lucas said the department gets at least one call a month from people claiming to have seen one of the big cats. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. For the past hundred years, many Southerners have believed a version of this story about the fate of the pantherotherwise known as the cougar, puma, or mountain lionin the Great Smoky Mountains. I'll tell you, these things are so fast I don't see any domestication at all.' However, should one be sighted, it is now illegal to kill them. Therefore, it is not unheard of for a young male to wander into the state for a time and then leave. I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. Read moreTeacher to Parent: Idea of voting for principals raises many questions, Theres alwa Read moreGuess the mystery plant: A South Carolina native pine, I like board Read moreColumn: A walk in winter woods. Big Cat Confusion Part of the confusion about the mysterious panther in South Carolina is that scientists now believe it is the same animal as the mountain lion that still thrives in the western area of the country and Rocky Mountains. I listened to bobcats, coyotes, and all kinds of other animals. Fish and Wildlife . Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. Petersen quotes local nature guide Kathi Livingston, 'I know they say the cougars we see are escaped or released. Jaguars and leopards, on the other hand, have a gene that occurs in six percent of the population that causes black cats. But Im not sure well ever see an established breeding population., Simpsonville City Council Notes: Road resurfacing projects delayed until 2024, Greer City Council Notes: Mayfield Road subdivision plans withdrawn, plus new fire station gets early approval, Greenville Chamber highlights community strengths at annual meeting, Greenville-Pickens Speedway listed for sale as an industrial park, Photos: Coca-Cola mural in West End removed, Former Fountain Inn flour mill redevelopment project breaks ground, Thrive Upstate, DRUM Percussion Studio to host Drumming Up Awareness event, Eight NAI Furman brokers, two brokerage teams named 2022 NAI Global top producers. Yet, something occurred yesterday on an upstate highway that has inspired me to postpone the column that I had planned for this week. #1 The tail. One is located in the mountains and the other is found in the coastal plains. Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. The primary difference is that over time, the population that lived in the southern U.S. decreased in sizea normal adaptation to warmer climates. 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. While were on the subject of panthers which are also called cougars or pumas: Im sorry to have to dispel the myth that black panthers once roamed the Carolinas. Young males must find their own territory after leaving their mothers. Where Mountain Lions Live. Im making fun, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. In fact, the wildlife agency has yet to receive a single piece of credible evidence even supporting the existence of mountain lions in South Carolina. Habitat. However, as people moved into the area, much of their environment was destroyed. CHARLESTON Four endangered red wolves have returned to the birthplace of South Carolina, going on display in a zoo where their species freely roamed more than 300 years ago. 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. bottomland forests Usually, it's a house cat, bobcat . They are found in many different habitats including swamps, mountainous regions, and forests. Can Cats Eat Kale? 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). In 2007, Katie Araujo, a Paris Mountain resident, said she came face to face with a large black cat while sitting on her front porch. 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. "There are no known cougars in North Carolina," Jodie Owens of the N.C. Wildlife Resources . The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. While mountain lions may occasionally wander into the area, they are exceedingly rare and the state has no breeding population. Whether they're called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, . So rather than a unique species, the Eastern Cougar was a distinct variation within the cougar population that roamed throughout North America. 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. While these cats are too small to threaten most people, they can sometimes hunt small livestockchickens are the most common victims. By the 1960s, mountain lions dwindled in the western states but managed to survive into the 21st century. 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. 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. Slot canyons. Exceptionally stealth in staying hidden, bobcats are found in South Carolina, especially in the coastal plain. Mountain lions typically keep their distance from humans, he said. The fight would probably play out with one of the creatures stalking the other. However, they werent able to provide evidence of the encounter. A wild mountain lion hasnt been verified in South Carolina in about 100 years, said Perry, whos studied mountain lions for more than a decade. He points to Florida where, despite a known population of less than 200, several Florida panthers are killed every year by vehicles. Only government bureaucrats could come up with a twist of logic like that. Today there are no wild reproducing populations of cougars in South Carolina. There are eight to 10 reported sightings of mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. Sometimes, they travel quite far to make this happen and they may travel so far that they end up in South Carolina. . You can legally trap and hunt bobcats with the right permit but they are endangered in some areas. UNSPECIFIED - MARCH 03: Cougar, Puma or Mountain Lion (Puma concolor), Felidae. Coyotes, deer, boar, eagles, and every snake imaginable. Some people even claim SCDNR is covering up the presence of mountain lions. Mountain lions do not currently have an established population in South Carolina. In those streams where it's still possible to pan for tiny bits of gold, there can be heard the bone-chilling screech of the owl and the cry of the bobcat making a kill. "We get lots of reports every year from folks who think they've seen a cougar. 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 . We Inform. If attacked, fight back. Black bears can be found throughout North America. South Dakota - South Dakota is home to mountain lions. Bobcats are known for taking down predators larger than themselves, but the mountain lion is just too much larger and stronger. Should I Worry? The mountain lion was there hundreds of thousands of years before you . The main reason people believe that there is a mountain lion population is that there have been some reported sightings. Well-known naturalist Dennis Chastain of Pickens says theres no doubt that there are cougars (pumas/mountain lions) in the woods and wild places of South Carolina. The few precious seconds that we locked eyes thirty feet from each other will remain one of my cherished memories. There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. Genetic data gathered from a number of samples shows a distinct lack of the genes required for that coloration. Adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between . Wed love to know! A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. These days the internet has become a bulletin board of sorts for panther sightings here. The last known living Eastern Cougar was sighted and suspected to have been killed in 1938. Have you spotted any of the above in an out-of-place spot in the Palmetto State! Due to the terrain and plentiful food sources, mountain lion sightings will occur and certain precautions should be taken by residents. Subscribe today! . There are no known mountain lions in North Carolina. 2023 www.independentmail.com. Lucas said that although there is a possibility western cougars could eventually make their way to the western Carolinas, the chances of someone having an encounter with one are extremely small. Brandon Tensley to join Capital Bs national team as politics reporter, Upstate student works to start relief effort for Turkey earthquake victims. In big cats, black panthers are actually jaguars or leopards. I just assumed they were common around the Carolinas. Usually, this is a result of their food sources being destroyed or the use of rat poison. There would be road killed cougar carcasses showing up at least once a year if we had an established population,he said. 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 DNR swears up and down there are no mountain lions left in SC. Federal Fish and Wildlife experts studied the matter of the Eastern cougar and declared it to be extinct -- at least in this region it is gone, they say. Some actually believe mountain lion sightings in South Carolina can be attributed to the Florida panther, the only surviving subspecies of eastern cougar. But Im not sure well ever see an established breeding population.. There are some black cats, such as leopards, but they are not native to North America. 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. South Carolina has two populations of black bears. My fears were that folks would say that dusk had played tricks on my eyes, that somebody's big Tom was on the prowl. Two clicks on Google search brought up pictures exactly like what I had seen - an Eastern cougar cub. More recently, a Piedmont resident captured a trail camera photo of what many believed to be a black panther. The West Virginia Wildlife Center . Nothing there, however, is meaner than the redbugs which inhabit the pine straw. Most of the mountain lions in South Dakota can be found in the Black Hills region, where there are an estimated 300 . 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