mountain lion massachusetts

A spokesman for the department referred to an article on their website, "Are there Mountain Lions in Massachusetts?" 3. "It's absolutely clear we do not have any populations of mountain lions," French said. 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." All these photos were taken in a state other than Massachusetts. Social media users … Re(1): 110% Mountain Lion Sighting 15 minutes outside UMass Amherst! 110% Mountain Lion Sighting 15 minutes outside UMass Amherst! This video is unavailable. is available for analysis by two independent labs. Today, Mountain Lions are found in the mountainous regions of the West. Get more news and updates -- sign up for our newsletter at chelmsford.wickedlocal.com. 122 0 obj <>stream Cougars are lean, mean, killing machines. 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� 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. Mountain lions are believed not to exist in Massachusetts, but that only means they don't live or breed here. Someone photographed the animal at the Brunswick School on Greenwich, Connecticut about 40 miles away on June 5th. Track sets or photos of track sets, verified by two qualified professionals approved by MassWildlife. CHELMSFORD -- A mysterious creature is afoot in town, and some residents believe it to be a mountain lion, roaming the area. MassWildlife recognizes two classes of Mountain Lion confirmation: Class 1 Confirmations - evidence requirements: 1. Mountain Lion Killed In Conn. “Mistaken reports of mountain lions in Massachusetts are most commonly bobcats,” the post reads. MassWildlife uses evidence-based criteria for confirming Mountain Lion reports. The species that once inhabited the Northeast, known as the eastern mountain lion, is now extinct. %%EOF Coyotes have also been mistaken for Mountain Lions. The USDA's Forest Service Wildlife Genetics Laboratory found that the animal came from South Dakota. It is also known as the cougar, puma, panther, or catamount. U.S. FOREST SERVICE PHOTO Bobcats are common in Western Massachusetts. 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. Also, Bobcats are spreading into areas in which they have not been seen before. Further, it is already illegal to kill a Mountain Lion in Massachusetts. Please keep scrolling - ALL the Puma posts are included . This is the longest documented travel distance of 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. I don't want to seem like a nut case here, but I must ask this question and you'll soon understand why? Your feedback will not receive a response. A possible mountain lion was spotted in Leicester, Massachusetts, and officials are working to positively identify the animal sighted. This mountain lion was documented by DNA samples from Minnesota and Wisconsin between December 2009 and early 2010. 2. 0 In March 2011, a forester photographed animal tracks in the snow near the Quabbin, which were again confirmed to be from a mountain lion. Mark Elbroch doesn’t think so. A mountain lion slaughtered 10 of her pet alpacas Saturday night. CHELMSFORD -- A mysterious creature is afoot in town, and some residents believe it to be a mountain lion, roaming the area. H�\�݊�@��. The mountain lion attacked a deputy and multiple shots were fired at the animal. There are two records of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts that meet the evidence requirements for a Class 1 or a Class 2 Confirmation. The scientific name for the catamount is Puma concolor. All other reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts have turned out to be other animals. Watch Queue Queue 97 0 obj <> endobj Social media users have posted a number of believed sightings in the Parlee Road area. �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��* �ڣn�g��=t26��;��S��{n��ڌwiӻO��B��6�E�u��t�'��D��O�G~w�A� ��!��A�eU�lX�. It is also known as cougar, panther, mountain lion, and puma, though catamount is the preferred regional vernacular. 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 A resident in the area of Ridge Street near Locke Farm told police he’s confident he saw a mountain lion. {�{�ú��y��ȃ��1�}o/{�K�L�w� Yet this young male traveled about 1,800 miles. Many people do not realize how large a grown Bobcat is. endstream endobj startxref In March 2011, DCR forester Steve Ward photographed a track trail in the snow near the Gate 8 boat launch area of Quabbin Reservoir. It holds the Guinness world record for the animal that has the most number of names. I personally think that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I do get his point. State law protects all species unless otherwise noted. Let’s check out what a real mountain lion looks like: We vote domestic cat, but it’s close. "Ny�� Q��p.s"�xWP�#�� EN9� Other tangible physical evidence verified by two qualified professionals approved by MassWildlife. They can grow as large as 200 pounds and have long tails. (Facebook / Michelle Lefleche) Webster residents say they spotted a mountain lion roaming around a … 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. In March 2011, Steve Ward, a DCR forester in the state of Massachusetts, photographed tracks in the Quabbin Reservoir. But are there mountain lions living in New Hampshire? 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. Today, Mountain Lions are found in the mountainous regions of the West. Nowadays, many reports include photographic evidence, thanks to camera phones and trail cameras. Despite numerous reports, the NH Fish and Game Department continues to have no physical evidence of mountain lion presence in the state. “Many people do not realize how large a grown bobcat is. There are always rumors about what state fish and wildlife agencies in the eastern United States know about Mountain Lions. An adult male bobcat can reach four feet in length and 35-40 pounds. 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 Its closest living relative is the cheetah. There is no evidence of a reproducing Mountain Lion population in Massachusetts. That just looks like a spoiled American cat that eats too much food. Mass.gov® is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. At present, though, most scientists refer to the animal as “puma.” There are around 32 recorded subspecies of mountain lions. 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. None of the rumors are true. MassWildlife cannot investigate or confirm Mountain Lion reports without any evidence. Some of these photos have taken on urban legend status. The picture may not be the clearest, but it’s most certainly not a … Sighting of this animal also occurred in Michigan and New York. If a mountain lion posed a threat, the team could be called upon to handle it. Are there Mountain Lions in NH? 2. Both labs confirmed the sample came from a Mountain lion. DNA evidence from hair, scat, etc. Confirmed Reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts. These tracks were fresh and well photographed. IF they are here, odds of an encounter are slim- made slimmer by the fact they would have no interest in us. MassWildlife and the Cougar Network have accepted this record as a Class 1 Confirmation. The LION SLEEPS 2KNIGHT. There is also a small population in southern Florida. The tail definitely resembles a mountain lion, but it seems too fat and stumpy to be a mountain lion. A mountain lion is a feline of many names. Do not include sensitive information, such as Social Security or bank account numbers. 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 … 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. %PDF-1.6 %�� -By Joe April 23, 2019 at 07:38:32 AM In April 199, a hunter found unusual animal scat near the Quabbin Reservoir; lab tests confirmed it came from a mountain lion. There have been only two cases where evidence supports the presence of a Mountain Lion in Massachusetts. Now and then MassWildlife gets a report with a photo of a Mountain Lion. "The mountain lion continued moving east across the river and to a … In certain situations, the similarities in the silhouette are remarkable. 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��$��x�|Ҍ@� � v e If Mountain Lions returned to Massachusetts, there is no need to update current forest management practices. The body of a dead mountain Lion, or a live wild-captured animal, is available for examination. Its scientific name is Puma concolor. WCVB - Boston • December 1, 2016. The last Massachusetts mountain lion was killed in 1858, and like wolves the animals had been subject to bounty killing, significantly reducing the population, he said. While these accounts can't be discredited out-of-hand, PLEASE be skeptical and don't change the way you enjoy the … A Mountain Lion Cover Up ? These tracks may have been made by the Mountain Lion documented in Greenwich, Connecticut on June 5, 2011, and killed by a vehicle six days later. The last catamount in Vermont is finally, officially, certainly dead. I saw a mountain lion cat in the Berkshires during the day! endstream endobj 101 0 obj <>stream Over a period of a year and a half, this Mountain Lion left DNA evidence in at least four states. Mistaken reports of Mountain Lions in Massachusetts are most commonly Bobcats. There is also a small population in southern Florida. Credit: Michelle Lafleche, Facebook What do you think? h�bbd``b`��@��H��l�W��b�)�$D� � !�$�V3012| ��H4��;@� v, Mountain Lions in Massachusetts Mountain Lions became scarce in the East after a bounty system wiped out most predatory animals. Car Crash 65 Miles From Mass. This form only gathers feedback about the website. However, dispersing western mountain lions have left evidence as close as Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. Would you like to provide additional feedback to help improve Mass.gov? ��B7��Y�� Photos, including video, in which a Mountain Lion can be identified and MassWildlife can confirm the location. (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. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. We will use this information to improve the site. How much do you agree with the following statements in the scale of 1, Strongly Disagree, to 5, Strongly Agree? 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. Bobcats, which are common in Western Massachusetts, have short or bobbed tails relative to their body size. Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. BorderA mountain lion was hit by a car and killed in the town of Milford, CT, about 65 miles from the Massachusetts border. He says when you’ve got a mountain lion in town, it’s kinda obvious. "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." Mountain lion in Massachusetts? The young adult male was killed by an SUV on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in Milford, Connecticut on June 11, 2011. It is difficult to know if someone saw a Mountain Lion without any tangible evidence. 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. 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��i��ٸ"�TW�%�Z��lnX� �U3��s}��. Class 2 Confirmations - evidence requirements: 1. Someone saw a mountain lion in Massachusetts Sighting of this animal also occurred in Michigan New... You like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel test. And then masswildlife gets a report with a PHOTO of a mountain lion in Massachusetts areas in which they not... At 02:42:17 PM than Massachusetts ask this question and you 'll soon understand?... Too fat and stumpy to be a mountain lion, and officials working... 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