According to authorities, the mountain lion was reportedly seen on Friday including on Salem. And follow us on Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. And theres another school of thought, Well, no, there just are too many of them probably we have to reduce that population somehow. Where do you fall in that whole continuum? Sport hunting for cougars is not sustainable and shouldnt be allowed to go on. In the 1930s, Bruce Wright, an influential wildlife manager from New Brunswick, Canada, began gathering reports of sightings of mountain lions in the East and searching for their tracks. Didnt it? And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. McEnroe: It is an uphill challenge. WOODBRIDGE, CT (WFSB) Police in Woodbridge said they have received reports of mountain lion sightings in town. They also have facial ruffs and ear tufts on the tips of their ears, as well as shorter tails. Well also go over what types of wild cats can be found in Connecticut. At that point, they realized my family was not crazy and it was identified as a cougar and it was about 100 lbs. Having spent much time outdoors hunting deer . And theres another school of thought, Well, no, there just are too many of them probably we have to reduce that population somehow. Where do you fall in that whole continuum? The sightings havent been confirmed by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), and there are no videos or photos. Somebody needs to take charge of this outfit and do something about the interactions with the citizenry. That had to be a mountain lion. He was the only confirmed mountain lion in all of Connecticut but was seen several times right after he arrived in the state before being accidentally killed. Hear the full interview: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators. Bobcat sightings are not uncommon in Connecticut. They certainly have, you know, lower levels of conflicts and home entries than we do here in Connecticut. DEEP believes their numbers have increased in recent years. Sometimes referred to as the ghosts of the forest, mountain lions or cougars are stealthy hunters that are hard to spot, even in areas they are known to inhabit. He can be reached by phone at 860-275-7297 or by email: pskahill@ctpublic.org. Below is an evolving list of Connecticut natives and state prep school football players in the Class of 2023 who have signed letters of intent to play football in college. According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, mountain lions became extinct in Connecticut in the 1800s, and bobcats are the only large wild cats found in the state. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it, he recalls. While this isn't the norm, it is becoming slightly more common as mountain lions are striking out further east in search of territory. 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). During Autism Awareness Month, columnist John Breunig details the experience of taking his son to a Bruce Springsteen concert and the NY Theres just an incredible amount of bad information that we get from coercion and bad interviewing tactics, a policing expert says. Mountain Lions: They are officially extinct. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Even in parts of the country where there are documented breeding populations of mountain lions, there are still many false reports. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. We know that the closest established breeding population is in either the Everglades of Florida theres a small population down there and then out in South Dakota and Nebraska. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. But sometimes, instead of mountain lions, people thought they saw other creatures in the Connecticut woods, of which authorities were supposedly aware. It was a 140-pound male mountain lion, the first confirmed in Connecticut in more than 100 years. For mountain lions in Connecticut, a lack of evidence is very good evidence. And Im assuming whatever were doing right now, its not working. On another large animal that is most definitely here: bears. For mountain lions in Connecticut, a lack of evidence is very good evidence. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. MOUNTAIN LION ATTACKS MAN SITTING IN COLORADO HOT TUB After a few moments of the deer trying to maneuver out of the chokehold, it managed to free itself from the claws of the mountain lion.. Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. My heart was saying, Maybe this is it,. Be mindful of small pets and small children wandering too far away from your sight line. Ancient_Ad126 4 mo. Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. Theres something in human nature to overestimate the size of wild animals we see, especially if we get a brief glance and if the animal is moving. He adds, Bobcats can get pretty large and some people believe they should have pretty visible spots and very often theyre pretty uniform in color. This is especially true in the summer, when my wifes sighting occurred. Of course. And were one of the most densely populated states as far as humans. Its documented through track surveys, aerial surveys, trapping and collaring surveys. Bachelder said he did a double take Friday evening when he looked out the back window of his home on Pease Road. Instead, people should remain facing the cat and not turn their back on it, make noise and make themselves appear as large as possible by raising their arms over their heads with a jacket. . A bobcats tail is short and bob-like, while mountain lions have long, curving tails that can grow up to 3 feet. 2012. Be as loud as you can paired with being as big as you can. In some versions, state officials dont want to alarm people about the feline predators in their midst. In 2011, genetic testing confirmed that a mountain lion originated in South Dakota and traveled more than 1,500 miles before being struck by a car on the Merritt Parkway, according to Reuters. She adds, I think its because a lot of people are fascinated by wild cats; they are the embodiment of the wild.. If a young male Cougar disperses East, instead of West, they're going to keep walking because they're going tokeep looking for an area where they can find a mate, he said. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. But the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Sunday that bobcats are the only large wild cats found in the state. Have a question or comment? Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Adult males can be around 8 feet in length and weigh between 130 and 150 pounds, while adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between 65 and 90 pounds. In 2011, genetic testing confirmed that a mountain lion originated in South Dakota and traveled more than 1,500 miles before being struck by a car on the Merritt Parkway, according to Reuters. So its this gathering storm. Its quite an uphill challenge for us to manage that situation right now. I couldnt tell you how happy I would be if mountain lions were actually recolonizing the state of Connecticut, Hawley says, but its just not happening., Hawley spoke about bobcats, mountain lions and bears on The Colin McEnroe Show: Megafauna mania: our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators.. The history of this theory in Connecticut and New England goes back long before our current era of fake news. McEnroe: Scientifically, this is a case where absence of evidence is kind of evidence of absence, right? Sometimes people feared fishers (erroneously attributing the blood-curdling screams of foxes to these hard-to-spot creatures), and in the late 1930s, after several animals were slain under strange circumstances in Glastonbury, the Hartford Courant dubbed the lion-like creature supposedly responsible, the Glawackus. Then in June 2011, there were reports of a mountain lion in Greenwich and, for the first time, a photo. Hawley: I feel strongly that we need a harvest here in Connecticut. I live in Hamden Connecticut and I have had mountain lions, black bears, Skunk's, dear, coyotes, fox. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. And even the home entries are kind of changing. We have people eating dinner in their kitchen, they hear a noise, all of a sudden a bear walks in, so they run into their bedroom to get away from the bear, while the bears out ransacking their refrigerator. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. We know that strays have wandered through New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts; that does not indicate that a sighting means we have a resident mountain lion in the Berkshires. Dickson, however, said the agency is not aware of any such reports. While he might feel like that well known movie character who was doubted at first, Bachelder is confident it was a cougar. On the idea of bear hunting in Connecticut. Hawley: Wildlife biologists across the United States know where the current mountain lion range is. Mountain lion spotted in Connecticut town On Monday, DEEP said that Connecticut does not have a mountain lion population. I agreeI am a person with very good knowledge of animals and know the distinct differences between closely related species in some cases Rego says that the way bobcats stride when they run, often times a rear leg is kicked up in the back and that could be mistaken for a long tail.. Certainly, bobcats are much larger than housecats, but they are not nearly the size of cougars. Possible mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge, Mountain lion sightings reported in Woodbridge, Man arrested for running illegal dental operation in a Danbury hotel room, Meriden police: Father and son sexually assaulted woman in basement, Crash involving three tractor trailers slows traffic on I-84 in Hartford, CT man wanted for murder of woman arrested in Ohio. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. Based on this blurry photo and pawprints, DEEP confirmed it was likely a mountain lion. Map reproduced from LaRue et al. Weve got a growing bear population. These highlights have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Once at dusk driving in the Berkshires, he saw what he initially thought was a cat-like creature that was far bigger than a bobcat leap across the road. Mountain lions also have tails that can grow up to 3 feet. This article appeared in theNovember 2019issue ofConnecticut Magazine. Ask people who spend time outside Connecticut cities and you will hear firsthand or secondhand accounts of mountain lions. Wed be seeing more carcasses of prey we would be seeing at least some carcasses of mountain lion prey. According to one internet source, there are 3 types of wild cats that can be found in Connecticut mountain lions, bobcats, and lynxes. Do not bend, squat, or sit down. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference. Its a cool story with how far that animal walked. Abbott, of the Housatonic Valley Association, is equally skeptical of the vast majority of mountain lion sightings. Anyone can get fooled. . We had a mountain lion go thru my property was about 125 lbs left his paw prints in the mug, which were a bigger than my hand and have pictures of it we also had bobcats come through. The state says no, theyre extinct, that cant be. A 140-pound male mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in 2011 in Milford, Connecticut. On June 11, 2011, in Milford, CT, a mountain lion was killed by a motor vehicle. Stay facing the big cat and try not to turn your back to it. Bobcats, of course, can be found all over the state. Ive been doing this for 40 years. In yet another variant, DEEP is said to be helicoptering mountain lions in to help control the deer population. A month after the cat was struck and killed, researchers confirmed it had traveled more than 1,500 miles from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Or at least theyre not supposed to be. The famous "Connecticut mountain lion" traveled 1500 miles from South Dakota, the furthest trek currently recorded. Mountain Lions:They can have similar coloring and their tails can look alike, which has lead to some house cats being mistaken for them, even though mountain lions are much, much bigger. Those are the two closest populations that we have here. Every winter, after a fresh snow, DEEP sends out teams into the fields and woods looking for animal tracks. So its this gathering storm. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows. Hi! Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. And he said, This is where the mountain lion crossed. We walked in and there were fresh bobcat tracks in there. That means that the animal traveled more than 1,500 miles to Connecticut, more than twice as far as the longest dispersal pattern ever recorded for a mountain lion. 2. Bobcats dont shy away from human habitats, while mountain lions tend to only be found in very isolated areas. In cities, smaller towns, and even sparsely inhabited areas, there is simply not enough large prey for mountain lions to survive on. Two women's solution: salvage it instead, Hampden County DA: Massachusetts troopers acted 'lawfully' in shooting death of William Tisdol, As Vt. According to DEEP the bobcat is the only confirmed species of wild cat in CT as of 2022. But that doesnt stop people from seeing them. Im not an expert on human psychology, but if youre looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it. These sightings are so persistent that there is a conspiracy theory that says DEEP officials know mountain lions are in the state but cover up their existence. Bobcats, also, only hunt small prey. We know that the closest established breeding population is in either the Everglades of Florida theres a small population down there and then out in South Dakota and Nebraska. On a mountain lion that died on a Connecticut highway. I always hold out the possibility of a sighting to be genuine, but at the same time, over decades of experience, we know that the vast majority are misidentifications and a small number are actually hoaxes, he says. Now the bears, they dont even care if people are home, theyll go right in the house. Give it space to turn around without feeling threatened to get away from you and your family. But honest misidentifications are more common. If it really comes down to it do what you have to do to deter it from following you. Ive seen bobcats before, this wasnt a bobcat. And its a lose-lose situation, because theres really not a whole lot you can tell them in most cases thats going to change their mind.. Okay, if thats what you say, what can I tell you. You cansubscribe here, orfind the current issue on sale here. "The journey of this mountain lion is a testament to the wonders of nature and the tenacity and adaptability of this species," Connecticut DEEP Commissioner Dan Esty said during a press briefing. Hawley, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, says data dont support a breeding population of mountain lions in Connecticut. I am 58 years old and another cougar was identified when I was much younger by the Deep in Meriden. Its definitely a problem thats only going to get worse. It requires engagement and attendance, just like on Election Day. A threat to livestock, they were hunted out of the state and driven to parts more wild. Woodbridge police shared tips for if you encounter a big cat: On Friday July 8, 2022 there was a few reported Mountain Lion sightings the last few days one actually involving an encounter with ones family in their lawn. Hawley says that they would be finding carcasses of mountain lion prey and mountain lion tracks if these animals had recolonized the state, and this simply isnt happening. WOODBRIDGE Police are offering tips after they said there have been several mountain lion sightings in town. 17), Police investigate death of New London High School student, Long Wharf Theatre to present Live from the Edge in Hamden, Torrington students to stage 'The Sponge Bob Musical' in May, 'American Idol' alums Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken to perform in CT, Talcott Mountain Music Festival starts June 30. And theres another school of thought, Well, no, there just are too many of them probably we have to reduce that population somehow. Where do you fall in that whole continuum? You cansubscribe here, orfind the current issue on sale here like on Day. Know where the current issue on sale here threat to livestock, they realized my family not... Looking for something, you have a greater chance of actually seeing it,! 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