Big Cat arched his back the way cats do when alarmed, and he bounded into the woods. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. There are a number of answers to this question. The wildness of our country and the inherent dangers in just taking a walk to the wood pile insured that we would have the 2nd amendment to the constitution. Anyway, two years ago in August I was driving down on the highway south of Ashboro & think I seen [sic] a dead one on the side of the road by mile marker 51.Long tail, all black but I couldn't see the head. So rather than a unique species, the Eastern Cougar was a distinct variation within the cougar population that roamed throughout North America. The DNR stays on top of managing it for us, and for that were grateful. At full size, males are an unmissable 6-to-8-feet long and can weigh 150 pounds, say state officials. I was shocked when I first saw the prints, because they were so big, said Claes. Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. Greenville County, which requires residents to obtain a permit and undergo inspections, has issued 17 permits for exotic animals, including two tigers, since 2012, according to spokesman Bob Mihalic. They are about the same size as most domestic cats, after all. More:Hurricane Irma: Lowcountry animals moved to the Upstate. He recalls that the animal's tail was as long as its body and that the huge cat appeared to take up the whole lane as he crossed over. As a territorial species, these cats do not live close to each other. Some sightings were later verified as a different animal, such as a coyote or bobcat. Whether theyre called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, breeding population in the western U.S and, according to both the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, transient western cougars have been spotted in both states since 2015. Nothing there, however, is meaner than the redbugs which inhabit the pine straw. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. North Carolina. Pick up small children or dogs as they are more likely to run and are more vulnerable. Nearby City: Chestnut Springs. Mountain lions were once native to South Carolina. What You Need to Know! Only 14 red wolves remain in the wild half the number that were out there a year ago. You may try donating it to a zoo, but not many zoos are looking for cougars. Many counties, including Spartanburg and Anderson, ban exotic pets. Mountain lions have a long tail that is usually darker colored at the tip. 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. Update privacy preferences to allow Google Map. 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. Im making fun, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. Cougars are stealthy predators that can run up to 35 miles per hour. Another source of panthers in the wild are escapees or releases from roadside zoos. Mountain lions once lived in much of the eastern United States. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. They can weigh anywhere from 1025 pounds. Since there is no melanistic, or black, phase to the cougar, Florida or Western, that is actually not genetically possible, he said. Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. 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. 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. According to wildlife expert Ken Burton on the enature website, there are mountain lions in Western NC along the Smoky Mountains. They are so prevalent that many people believe there are more mountain lions than there really are. Mountain lions are sneaky animals, he said. Greenville Journal. They do have a tail, but it is only about 6 to 8 inches long. Usually, it's a house cat, bobcat . Bo Petersen of the Post and Courier reported March 7, 2011, that 'Despite biologists' saying the eastern cougar is no more, big cat sightings persist.' Since 1890 in the U.S. and Canada, there have been 100 attacks on humans at all, according to the research organization The Cougar Network. See answer (1) Copy. What You Need to Know! Heres how that came about: People go to a pet store and buy a baby cougar. People who report these sightings come from all walks of life, and areusually sincere and honest. So you go for a ride with the big cat and let him loose somewhere in deer country which is anywhere in the state. I listened to bobcats, coyotes, and all kinds of other animals. But Im not sure well ever see an established breeding population.. There is no established cougar population in the area, which means that these large cats are not currently breeding and living in South Carolina. However, bobcats are extremely small, ranging between 1025 pounds. Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long ago named for panthers or the colloquial term "painters," both common names in this part of the country for the cougar. Even thought they're . This one looks almost cute, but that's because it's sleeping. The mountain lion used to be found all over the United States, but now is primarily seen in the western U.S. An endangered subspecies of mountain lion also remains in Florida. Yes, usually in the Great Smoky Mountains . Cats need enough food within their territory to survive, so their ranges will be based on where food is located in the areasome may have territory that stretches over 40 acres. 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. . Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. I guess a Florida panther could possibly roam into South Carolina, but Im not sure they would make it that far without getting hit by a car, said Butfiloski. Yesterday around 5 p.m., my husband, a realtor and myself had a Mountain Lion jump the road in front of us about 30 yards ahead of us while walking a 19 acre property in Murphy NC mountains! A distinctive feature is their 30-inch long tail (so different from our native and still abundant bobcat, which has a very short tail). Eastern Cougar does inhabit South Carolina. For two hours my mind replayed the details of my encounter with what has to be the Carolina panther. See more columns online at www.moultrienews.com. South Carolina has two populations of black bears. Then about 8 years ago I was driving down Clements Ferry and one ran across the road in front of me just past the old Mikasa plant heading towards 526. However, the 1946 taxonomy is now in question. The large cats are not staying and breeding in the state. 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. "Many of these deaths have occurred in British Columbia, on Vancouver Island. The animal started running so I decided to run and get away and jump in the river to get across to the other side, Fletcher told The State. Born Free USA, a national wildlife conservation group, estimates there are up to 20,000 big cats owned privately across North America. Most people in the eastern U.S. havent ever seen a wild mountain lion or jaguar or leopard, said Butfiloski. 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. Contact: (855) 411-0505. The story cites lack of hard evidence for the existence of mountain lions in the stateno carcasses, no trail camera footage, and no actual sightings corroborated by others. Koehler called several neighbors, but they couldnt explain the barking. But they arent true Eastern cougars. If you are not and would like to read this and all the other great . I'm not Bill Bryson, and this column isn't entitled 'A Walk In the Woods.' One popular conspiracy theory claims SCDNR has released a breeding population of western mountain lions to prevent the states surging white-tailed deer population from causing too much agricultural damage. talk to a vet online for advice >. Featured Image Credit: Warren Metcalf, Shutterstock, Are Maine Coon Cats Hypoallergenic? 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. The few precious seconds that we locked eyes thirty feet from each other will remain one of my cherished memories. There are no known mountain lions in North Carolina. 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. The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America. In 2015, Michelle LaRue, a research ecologist and speaker at the University of Minnesota and executive director of the Cougar Network, cast doubt on black panther sightings in a blog post, saying there is no compelling evidence that a single wild black panther has ever existed in the United States.. The mountain lion was there hundreds of thousands of years before you . They are just incredibly elusive." Although so many people have claimed to have seen the wild cat, N.C. Wildlife Resources officials told the Charlotte Observer that the Eastern Cougars are currently only found in parts of Florida. Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Whether you're interested in becoming a Lion or Leo, or requesting service from a club, this is the place to do it. Some of them have migrated as far north as Jasper County in the southern tip of South Carolina, Chastain said. In South Carolina, this often leads to them eating smaller deer, rabbits, and rats. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. Kristin Hitchcock. Contributed by John Garton, SCWF Board Member Emeritus. . This mountain sits near the border of South Carolina and North Carolina. 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. Their name is derived from their short, or bobbed, tail. Bobcats, Lynx rufus, one of six cat species native to the United States, can be found in each of the lower 48 states, including all of South Carolina. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. While mountain lions may occasionally wander into the area, they are exceedingly rare and the state has no breeding population. There has never been a confirmed or documented case of a melanistic mountain lion in the United States. Cougars do not do well with roads and are often the victim of collisions with cars. All Rights Reserved. There haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s. In big cats, black panthers are actually jaguars or leopards. When you live and learn in community with others, you develop deeper bonds, build better support systems and form stronger friendships. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. This feline only gets to about 25 pounds at most. These animals often end up being released into the wilderness areas. Service starts with Lions. Because of their immense range, cougars can be seen in a number of habitats. Furmans academics combine classroom learning and premier majors with experiences in research, internships, study away and community-centered learning. Therefore, your odds of seeing a mountain lion are extremely low. We Inspire. The majestic cat only lives in a small portion of the United States. There isn't any evidence of mountain lions currently living in North Carolina. Fish and Wildlife . Its a chick magnet, its a cool thing, Chastain said. Scientists view these large cats as a distinct population (but still the same species) from the mountain lions of the western U.S. Then there are occasional reports of mountain lion sightings in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, but no one to our knowledge has ever totally proved that what they saw actually was . The eastern cougar historically lived from Maine to South Carolina and from Michigan to Tennessee, the wildlife service said. That cat was gone in a flash. Still 3 coon hunters treed and killed one a few years ago. Ask anyone who spends time in the South Carolina wilderness and theyll have a number of stories of their own sightings, camera/video footage and sightings by reputable people in the community. |, Presented by TD Bank, TD SYNNEX & The YMCA, The People and Places That Helped Shape Greenville, There is another possibility that seems to be increasing in likelihood in recent years. Contact Ron Barnett at rbarnett@gannett.com. Furman students are academically challenged and leave Furman as lifelong learners who are changing the communities around them. The story was soon revealed to be a hoax but it reignited the many rumors of panthers and large wild cats in South Carolina. There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. Where Mountain Lions Live. Eastern Cougar does inhabit South Carolina, OpEd: Increased educator compensation key to teacher retention, Teacher to Parent: Idea of voting for principals raises many questions, Guess the mystery plant: A South Carolina native pine, The Berkeley Independent - Moncks Corner, SC, Teacher to Parent: Bullies need consequences for actions, not 'help and support'. Whether theyre called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, breeding population in the western U.S and, a. ccording to both the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, transient western cougars have been spotted in both states since 2015. 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. They have short ears and large round heads. Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat. These felines are comfortable in many . South Carolina has two populations of black bears. Petersen quotes local nature guide Kathi Livingston, 'I know they say the cougars we see are escaped or released. While everyone knows the dangers of feeding a bear, most people overlook the possibility of one of them running across the road while you're driving. How Should I Introduce My Puppy to a Dominant Dog? Those thoughts contented me for a few miles until some reflection revealed what should have been obvious when I first set eyes on the beast -- a Bobcat can't have a long, thick tail. According to Perry, western mountain lions have established breeding populations in South Dakota, Nebraska, and North Dakota in the last 25 years. Also have positively ID'ed a large cat tracks on a pond dam on the same property, and the owner saw one 5+ years ago and now carries a .44 Mag on his hip whenever he goes hunting. What was once called the Eastern Cougar and roamed areas throughout the southeastern United States was declared extinct in 2011 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. Bobcats are the most similar relatives of mountain lions and they share many physical and behavioral traits. Take adventure to new heights in the majestic mountain region of the Palmetto State. Thus, these cats inhabit rugged terrains with steep slopes and little vegetation. Jaguars, which are primarily found in South America, have established a small population in Mexico and occasionally cross over into Arizona or New Mexico, according to Perry. Seen in a small portion of the United States ever seen a wild mountain lion is also known cougar. 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