Further north, you can find mountain lions in . kind of beige, dark grey at tip of tail, white underbelly. IT MAY BE A BS STORY SOMEONE STARTED BUT THE LOCAL TV STATION A WHILE BACK HAD COMMENTED THAT THERE MAY BE LARGER PREDATORS IN OUR WOODS AND THEY INCLUDED BEARS PUMA,BOBCAT COYETTE ETC. Theres just too few of them. A mountain lion photo has been circulating on social media for more than a year, claiming people have seenmountain lions in the state, and officials are calling shenanigans on the post. 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. Last year the U.S. I too hope to see mountain lions return to Virginia, but I really dont think there are many here yet, if any all. They were last seen in 1882 and have since been killed off. I got to see 4 coyotes run down a mature doe and brutaly slaughter her. 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. It was about 100 pounds with a tail about 3 feet long. Anyone know where to find a recording of cat sounds? Without as many wolves around, coyote populations began to thrive and expand eastward. Could it be? I walked to my car and turned my lights on. I think its all the same.. At a second glance, we knew that it couldnt be deer. of Wildlife. All these so-called sightings yet no evidence of a breeding population, despite all the research done by biologists and the states? My wife, dog, and I were walking on a dead end street no houses in Stratford Habour this morning (11/8/07). I really took offense to that.. She believes that North American mountain lionsincluding the Florida panther, which she said is protected because they are considered a distinct population segment via the Endangered Species Actare essentially all the same, without enough genetic distinctions to justify differentiating the western and eastern subspecies. Why? Today I looked outside and in the middle of the yard was a large looking black cat with a long tail, much larger then any cat. I couldnt see their relative sizes, as they were not close together until right before I entered the woods, and one was very low in the grass, could only see its eyes reflected. Were not taking any action to move them or kill them. Published: Oct. 12, 2022 at 9:17 AM PDT. There have been sightings here, & in Nottaway county. Unfortunately, we lost our big barn cat to these predators and continue to see and hear them on a regular basis. 28-Aug-08. There have been sightings of mountain lions in Virginia since the late 1800s, and its tough to imagine that every single one of them is misidentifying or lying about their experience, but it doesnt help that there hasnt been any physical evidence of mountain lions found either. The eastern cougar, which occurred in West Virginia, is one of 15 subspecies . Then, off it went! The sub-species of the eastern cougar indigenous to the state is extinct. Still no pictures though. It sure sounds like the same picture. A neighbors cat was outside and I could see that she was visibly frightened and crouching under a car. However, experts claim that even if those would turn out to be true, it wouldn't be a return of the original population. October 2007, Patrick County, VA. It was shocking to see something so unexpected! I was only about 50 feet away. Mountain Lions and Their Historic Range in West Virginia. I do believe that it's just mistaken identity.". In 1979, The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries cited the mountain lion, or puma or cougar, to be an endangered or threatened animal in Virginia. Its actually kind of scary if you think about it. There are currently an estimated 20,000-40,000 mountain lions remaining in the United States, but that number used to be much larger. FYI: I have reasearched wild animal sounds to the point now that I could be an expert. I was glad i was in a car, as Im sure it would have been terrified had we been on foot. As for what a new population of mountain lions would mean for nearby residents, education is crucial. As a result, multiple sightings across different time ranges could be attributed to the same cat. The subspecies would no longer be considered "threatened" once three populations were found or established, with each containing more than 50 breeding adults. So, if anyone knows who I can contact please let me know. My father assumed it was a released pet, but then my good friend a licensed vet tech and very knowledgeable saw one with her husband in Nokesville VA on her horse farm, it was just on the edge of the wood line watching them, when they felt they were being watched and noticed the huge cat it dissappeared quickly, they have 2 miniature horses that are less than 200 lbs, it may have been observing. I felt bad because I told them what had happened before I could see them and didnt knwo they were so young. . And add to that the fact that someone may have actually been wrong. Or try to cover it up.Afraid it will cause panic. I was hiking in Western North Carolina this weekend, north from Carvers Gap at Roan Mountain, on the Appalachian Trail. Most of the cougars around Los Angeles live in the Santa Monica Mountains northwest of the city. It seems common knowledge of all the cats that roam the mountains along the Potomac River in West Virginia. The boys and dogs went back to the old beaver pond. THanks CArole. "I never say never about these things, it's certainly possible," Fies said. Bobcats generally live away from humans, preferring places like the Great Dismal Swamp and the mountains. His body was very long and had a beautiful face. This was kind of cool to me so I was on the lookout for any other animals, also keeping in mind that they might run onto the road. Tickets are $8.00 and parking fee is included. In fact, they are the fourth-largest cat species in the world, behind tigers, lions, and jaguars. Many mountain lions used to roam the West Virginia wilderness. When Dr. Michelle LaRue began her graduate studies in 2005, the state of Nebraska had virtually no mountain lions. Male cougar territories are pretty big, and thats why they have to disperse farther than females, LaRue said. I was on another random Parkway journey, like always. "I thought, 'holy cow, where did that come from?'" In October, 1987, a cougar & cub was seen by a U.S. Forest Service crew in western Shenadoah County. This could cause an issue because they could go after livestock and cause problems for humans. We have heard them up near the edge of the mountains but never this close. LaRue is the first to admit that shed love to see a mountain lion in the wild, and she of all people understands the fascination with them. All of this happened just out of bow range and its heart wrenching knowing there is nothing you can do. shortly after this, it was reported in the article, a puma was killed by a sheep rancher in an adjoining W.VA county. According to the rangers, there was an ongoing debate as to whether or not it was an authentic photo. People always had a story to tell about seeing one or hearing one whenever they were in the woods, and claimed the government was turning a blind eye to their reports. lions do not inhabit the Virginia mountains. In 1996-98 I lived in Catharpin, VA near Manassas Battlefield. I have friends in Wyoming and Montana, where mountain lions have always been. There are still two other sub . Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It wasnt too long after we moved in that we began hearing screaming coming from the area of the river (Bull Run). For anyone that has seen a cougar in the East or would like to support or be involved in their return then jointing ECF is only logical. ", "These cats are moving east looking for new territory," Renee O'brien posted on Facebook. They have been absent from this state since the late 1800s; however, there have been a few isolated sightings. No one has since today, reported seeing one. It almost took the tail of the cat as long to pass from my view and did the body. My neighbor has a grandson that is almost 3 years old, they were outside and he was crying (nothing was wrong) it was more of a I want my way kind of cry, but it seemed to go on for a long time. My son and I definitely saw a mountain lion today while I was taking him back to college this morning on I-81 near Buckhannon in Virginia near the Blue Ridge Parkway exit; unfortunately, it had been killed by a car before we saw it. This isnt just hearsay.. On thursday October 16,2008 at 5:30/5:45 pm, my folks wanted to show me the Blue Ridge Parkways scenic fall views. Many years ago when my dad was just a kid, he was walking home after dark and a large black cat was walking off the dirt road along with him. The closest description I could find was the cry of the cougar or the mountain lion. I would love to get a photo of it. Three months later a mountain lion was wiped out by an SUV on a highway in Connecticut. I saw one questionable critter a few years ago but I cant say 100% it was a lion. Make noise by speaking loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a stick, or clapping slowly and loudly. When I told another fellow that lives near there, he said he had seen tracks. July 25, 2019 edition, Do you have some interesting wildlife news? http://www.easterncougar.org/ Ben Shrader Bedford, Virginia. The mountain lion was lying down in the snow. Add my name to the list of people who have seen mountain lions in the wild. The left rare flank was eaten and the entrails were gone. Scientists once classified over 30 subspecies of cougars based on morphological differences. He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News. 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. Hellol. I HAVE HEARD OF AN OLD WOMAN THAT HAD A DOBERMAN THAT STAYED ON HER BACK PORCH NEAR ROCKINGHAM CO NC. My dad found tracks and no, not bear, but cat, on our farm in that area and residents have reported seening a pair crossing just a few miles from where dad saw tracks. B. McQuary. "It was around 4 feet long, not including the tail." I lived on the border of the Great Smoky Mt Natl Park for 7 years. We have spotted a mother black bear and cub over by the damn while hiking, scary sight but very awsome. We couldnt figure out what it was so we did a little research and felt the sounds couldnt be anything other than a cougar. Does it make a circle on a set time period or does it travel randomly? I think I may have seen a fully jet black cougar around 2230 just by the cement plant north of Roanoke Va but Im not sure. "On average, DGIF has received approximately three to foursightings of large cats a month in recent years," the blog post stated. In August 2007 on my way to work from the Meadowview Virginia area , between Meadowview and Abingdon there was a Mountain Lion crossed the road in frount of me, So people can say what they want , there are big cats in the area. Cougars prowled nearly all of the United States below Canada, and all of Virginia from mountain . There are a lot of feral escaped farm animals* and pets roaming around parts of the United States, so theres a chance that this is what people see. Flash to present day. By Bill Cochran. Every year there were a few here and there.. It moved with grace and without sound. However, it is pretty well accepted that there are no cougars living in the east currently.. But even when a new population does begin to grow, LaRue said the likelihood of crossing paths with them will still be miniscule. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY SIGHTINGS OF A COUGAR OR OTHER LARGE FELINE IN THIS AREA. Additionally, the likelihood of mountain lions reclaiming their former territories in the mountains of Virginia is a distinct possibility. Its probably only a matter of time though their territory is expanding steadily. 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! Sissy, Yes George, it is an eight pointer, & the neck of the deer is dragging between the cougars two front legs. He then went to our pond & disappeared into the woods. If I knew how, Id post the picture here. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. I have photos of the kill. I have neighbors that say they have seen them. Look up the story of Rocky the African serval- an escaped pet that roams Virginia to this day I believe. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This video footage of a confirmed female lion was captured in November 2015 in Obion County, Tennessee. It finally took off on the other side of the road into the woods, and I made a U-turn to the nearest farmhouse! Do you think what I heard may have been a cougar or a mountain lion? I raise miniature horses and am quite concerned as we are surrounded by woods in Warrenton. This is because they are very territorial and mark their territory with scat and claw marks. While this may be incredible, it is still ways off. So many, in fact, that they've been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the mammal with the most names. It took off as the car got closerI have never ever seen anything like that in my life! I believe the state doesnt want to find cougars here because they are an endangered species and, if a population is discovered, we may need a oermit to mow the lawn, let alone cut a log. He told me that there are areas in the Valley that could sustain mountain lions, but that the deer numbers there were too low, and theyd eventually make their way towards humans. They're nocturnal and notoriously sneaky, so seeing one in the wild is a truly unique experience. Native to most counties in Virginia, the bobcat is a . It was undoubtedly a full grown male mountain lion. soon after, a report appeared in the wash. post about a squirrel-hunting ranger/game warden who spotted 2 pumas. HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Its a simple question with very different answers depending on who you ask. Spotted a lion last night around 7:30 pm. The creek still has running water. I put on the speed and got within about 30 years before it jumped off into the brush. These are believable people, she said. He also wrote "Beyond the Tetons" and "Backpacking Wyoming's Teton and Washakie Wilderness." Good luck, I think and hope theyre here, its interesting to consider. Tried to track it with the game warden but never found it. That would be earth shattering for the depts. 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. Today is Sept. 29, 2008. They prefer deer.. For years people have reported mountain lion sightings in the Valley, but, according to local DWR officials, they've been extinct in our area since 1882. Thanks for any help, as plenty claim they are here also. Yet within the last decade, bull sharks have been known to swim all the way to the Potomac River. They then took the trail that went in the opposite direction of the animal. Today, a new hybrid known as the coywolf is slowly returning to the state. Here in southern Utah, lions have been known to occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles. In Nebraska, the mountain lion is the largest carnivore. The deer seemed to jump into some brush to the side of the path and the paw print seemed to be following. . Near the paw print I found tracks of a small deer moving very fast (tracks far apart and just the point of the hoof.) I was looking out my window but couldnt see anything. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. I met with Michael Fies, Wildlife Biologist with the DWR, and we spoke about the history, extinction, and sightings of mountain lions in the Valley. 26 Sep 16. Until recently, Los Angeles' most famous lion, P-022, lived in Griffith Park, just north of Hollywood. After all, a three-year-old male lion was struck and killed by car in Connecticut in 2011. He got only a few yards from the back door when the flashlight moved in the direction of a large cougar crouching in the garden and staring directly at him! I live in Spout Spring. I truly look forward to a repeat performance, but highly doubt I will happen upon such a circumstance of chance with the enigmatic creature. Ideas? (sad). They prefer habitats where its difficult for people to go, LaRue said. Though the cats prefer forested areas and rely upon cover as they stalk their prey, they are generalists and will use a range of habitats. i live close to the cement plant in botetourt co and know 4 people personally ( 2 are my sons) who have seen mountain lion near the cement plant. Sadly, mountain lions no longer live in Virginia. Wild Cats in Virginia. The cat was black with a tail nearly as long as its body. He would have doubled back to get a closer look but they were in a hurry to get to their destination and his brother nixed the idea. She stated that she had previously spotted one on I 40 while crossing the Cumberland Mtns. Felt bad because I told another fellow that lives near there, he he. 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