Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. 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. The main reason people believe that there is a mountain lion population is that there have been some reported sightings. In olden days it was considered folly for a traveller to venture far without a firearm. Are you thoroughly confused? Originally there were 11 subspecies of cougars . But there are still instances where new creatures are spotted here from time to time and, even worse, a population of a dangerous species spreads into our own backyard, effectively infiltrating suburban life. So rather than a unique species, the Eastern Cougar was a distinct variation within the cougar population that roamed throughout North America. It was big and muscular. They are a native species in South Carolina. Instead, theyre wandering males. But then his neighbors dogs started barking. 4. This content is restricted to subscribers of OutdoorNews.com. Web design & hosting powered by eNation Worldwide. While some South Carolinians are reportedly spotting mountain lions, others are claiming to see something much more menacing: a black panther. SCDNR said the prints were from a dog, but Im not sure I really agree with them.. Sightings are sometimes reported to the state, and in 2019 multiple people took to Facebook claiming to have seen one, but no confirmations have been made. Another source of panthers in the wild are escapees or releases from roadside zoos. Sometimes, they travel quite far to make this happen and they may travel so far that they end up in South Carolina. However, bobcats are extremely small, ranging between 1025 pounds. Most tracks and pictures could possibly have been a different animal, which means that they cannot officially count as a cougar sighting. Like the Carolina parakeet, the predator cat couldn't cope with spreading civilization encroaching upon its feeding fields. Known For: Corbin Mountain is part of the Saluda Mountains, which are part of the greater Blue Ridge Mountains that traverse South Carolina. How does allopurinol treat leishmaniasis. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. Cougars do not do well with roads and are often the victim of collisions with cars. The eastern cougar, however, was declared extinct in 2011. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. 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. I listened to bobcats, coyotes, and all kinds of other animals. However, they have not been able to confirm any of these sightings. Since there is no melanistic, or black, phase to the cougar, Florida or Western, that is actually not genetically possible, he said. Bobcats are an elusive species. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. But he says having a few of them roaming the woods is a good thing. 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. And verified mountain lion photos and road kill carcasses are slowly but surely appearing in various states, including Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Even though the WV DNR says there are no wild mountain lions in the state, there are some held in captivity at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek. Are There Mountain Lions in South Carolina. Height: 3,068. Yes, usually in the Great Smoky Mountains . We Inform. 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 126 attacks, 27 of which were fatal, have been documented in North America in the past 100 years. Eastern Cougar does inhabit South Carolina. Cougars are known to have a long-range, especially males. Even thought they're . The only established large cat is the bobcat in South Carolina. These felines are comfortable in many . Photo donated by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Kameron Peresnovich. Yes, it would be technically illegal to shoot an Eastern cougar that was on the Endangered Species List, said Greg Lucas, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Neither am I Rudy Mancke, Marlin Perkins, or Jim Fowler. Eerie nighttime photos from trail cameras and tales of mountain lions attacking hikers flood social media and news channels. The younger, weaker male lions will travel to get away to other areas and establish their own territory. He lives in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant. Some of them have migrated as far north as Jasper County in the southern tip of South Carolina, Chastain 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. Are there Mountain Lions in South Carolina? Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat. But who knows in a generation or so what might happen, he said. 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. One is located in the mountains and the other is found in the coastal plains. However, even this species is not very large. When you live and learn in community with others, you develop deeper bonds, build better support systems and form stronger friendships. It was a little too big to be a bobcat.. At Furman, students live on campus all four years. One thing scientists agree on and have no confusion about is that none of these large cats is or ever has been black in color. 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. But peoplecould also be mistaking black panthers for pet mountain lions escaped from captivity, according to Perry. Andean Mountain Cat. However, cougars do have a renowned wanderlust and are known for ending up places they technically arent supposed to be. They just stick to the shadows. #1 The tail. There are some black cats, such as leopards, but they are not native to North America. 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. More recent mountain lion reports stem from the Upstate. Their fur is short and rather uniform reddish to light brown in color. 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. Brandon Tensley to join Capital Bs national team as politics reporter, Upstate student works to start relief effort for Turkey earthquake victims. By the 1960s, mountain lions dwindled in the western states but managed to survive into the 21st century. Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. "We get lots of reports every year from folks who think they've seen a cougar. 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 eight to 10 reported sightings of mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. . Mountain lions were once native to South Carolina. The Portuguese Man O'War is seldom seen in the Palmetto State and has a venomous sting that can kill an animal, and rarely humans although humans have died from complications from the sting. Its a chick magnet, its a cool thing, Chastain said. However, there has not been a verified sighting in over 100 years. As a territorial species, these cats do not live close to each other. 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. In a national forest there that had been slated for logging, somebody said they saw a cougar. Environmentalist groups weighed in, and the logging was halted. July 21, 2017. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Here in southern Utah, lions have been known to occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles. Currently, experts are adamant that there is no known mountain lion population in South Carolina. Furman biology professor and cougar expert Travis Perry says its possible for mountain lions to travel great distances, but its not very likely theyve traveled to our state. Some sightings are likely animals that ended up in our state through the exotic animal trade. In 1973, the agency added the eastern cougar to the List of Endangered . In South Carolina, as in much of the east, what largely remains of the cougar is its name, which is linked to many of our landscape features. They went back to the truck for buckshot. However, the 1946 taxonomy is now in question. 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. I said in the forum "black panthers in the hunting woods," that there are black panthers in SC, and I know its hard to believe. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was extirpated from the state around the early 1900s due to overhunting and . The big cat was captured after roaming free for two days. There have also been several sightings at Clemson University over the years. Coyotes, deer, boar, eagles, and every snake imaginable. and that is exactly what makes these areas dangerous. Back away slowly, preferably to a place of shelter like a building or vehicle. Visit his Web site at www.historyslostmoments.com. Canadian Lynx vs Bobcat: How Do They Differ? What You Need to Know! Therefore, they are not usually considered a threat to people. I was shocked when I first saw the prints, because they were so big, said Claes. Therefore, it is more than possible to live near them and never see them. The eastern cougar or eastern puma (Puma concolor couguar) is a subspecies designation proposed in 1946 for cougar populations in eastern North America. This cat can be found throughout much of South and North America. The mountain lion has a long tail (2.5-3 feet), while the bobcat has a short tail (less than 10 inches). Lucas, of DNR, concurs that the black panther is a myth. in weight. He said there used to be a den behind the Bowles horse farm before the farm was there. How to Keep Cats Out of Flower Beds (11 Easy Methods), Why Do Cats Move Their Kittens? "There are no known cougars in North Carolina," Jodie Owens of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission told the Observer. Sometimes, these cats get pushed very far away from where they were born.. 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. He believes people who reported seeing black panthers were seeing animals either at early dawn or late dusk, when colors are hard to disginguish. This species is also known to hunt and potentially kill domesticated felines. Most of their fur is a shade of beige, although some develop a darker . The Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC main office is located at Rocket Homes Real Estate, 701 Griswold St, Suite 21, Detroit, MI 48226. Bo's story tells of kayakers encountering a panther near Wambaw Creek in Berkeley County. There are countless game and trail cameras out in the woods ofSouth Carolina at any given time, and nobody has photographed a large cat, yet these animals do show up on game camerasin states that have cougars, said Butfiloski, who believes the trail camera footage from Ladys Island shows a house cat. The report said it appeared to be a female lion with two kittens, or two . South Carolinians are likely seeing something, even if its not a mountain lion. stands 3,560 feet tall. There's no question there are some. The West Virginia Wildlife Center . 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. Stay on top of dog food recalls here >, Have a question? In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. Whether you're interested in becoming a Lion or Leo, or requesting service from a club, this is the place to do it. It was a female mountain lion.. While mountain lions may occasionally wander into the area, they are exceedingly rare and the state has no breeding population. Well, this atleast proves that there are big cats in SC. The eastern cougar historically lived from Maine to South Carolina and from Michigan to Tennessee, the wildlife service said. 5 Reasons for This Behavior. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. But if so, are there mountain lions in North Carolina? There would be road killed cougar carcasses showing up at least once a year if we had an established population,he said. Take adventure to new heights in the majestic mountain region of the Palmetto State. Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet and elusive. 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! The lynx, a very close relative, roams Alaska. 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. Adding more confusion to the situation is the small population of elusive panthers living in the Florida Everglades. Coyotes in South Carolina now thats another story. These animals often end up being released into the wilderness areas. I do not believe that South Carolina has a free-ranging wild cougar population, said Butfiloski. Nothing there, however, is meaner than the redbugs which inhabit the pine straw. My father encountered one on U.S. Highway 172 north of Summerville 40 years ago. However, that does not mean that cougars may not end up in the state at all. LaRue, for instance, said people are probably seeing a house cat or black lab. They did at one point, but the last one was spotted in the early 1900s. Were here with the info you need to separate fact from fiction. Long thought to be extinct, the Carolina version of the big Eastern cougar is alive and very well, thank you. Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. Many residents insist theyre either seeing or hearing mountain lions despite the lack of evidence. South Carolina - South Carolina has not had any confirmed mountain lion sightings. The Service acknowledges the broad acceptance within the scientific community of a single North American subspecies, identified as Puma concolor couguar (applying the scientific nomenclature that has been used to refer to the Eastern puma subspecies to all North American pumas), based on genetic analysis, the agency said in a release announcing the new rule. Black Bears. Hubby's family lives in the Francis Marion forest and has seen a black panther along with black bears.'. I think many people just get excited when trail cameras or videos reveal an animal in the woods.. Usually, it's a house cat, bobcat . 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. I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. The responding officers later spotted the animal near Earle and Daniel halls, according to reports. 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'. While out in mountain lion country (which is, frankly, most of Arizona), keep these tips in mind. You may try donating it to a zoo, but not many zoos are looking for cougars. The dogs barked for several minutes, so I thought they had maybe treed some sort of animal,he said. 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. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. 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. So heres whats happened: The U.S. 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. Whether they're called cougars, mountain lions, pumas or catamounts, wildlife experts believe the cats exist as a stable, . However, its a moot point since there are no Eastern cougars still around to shoot., More:Kumar the orangutan escapes Greenville Zoo exhibit - again. My fears were that folks would say that dusk had played tricks on my eyes, that somebody's big Tom was on the prowl. From Mauldin to McClellanville, folks are coming forward to report their own sightings of the phantom panther. South Carolina Wildlife Federation, 455 St. Andrews Road, Suite B1, Columbia, SC 29210, United States. It was not a matter of fight or flight with him; rather, he had no interest in being gawked at in daylight hours by a motorist. The mountain lion is also known as cougar, panther, or puma. . Their home ranges vary in size depending on the location. 3300 Poinsett Highway Input your search keywords and press Enter. The back story on why the myth or truth of the existence of Eastern cougars/pumas is consequential comes from Tennessee. Sedona is built in prime mountain lion conditions; the cat's main food sources include deer, javelina and small animals, which are in abundance here. Thank you! Due to overhunting in the United States, they have been completely extirpated from the east , with the exception of the endangered Florida panther, a subspecies occurring in southern Florida. The primary difference is that over time, the population that lived in the southern U.S. decreased in sizea normal adaptation to warmer climates. In 2003, eight residents from a Mauldin subdivision called police saying theyd seen a large black cat prowling around the woods behind their homes. Today there are no wild reproducing populations of cougars in South Carolina. History of Large Cats in South Carolina First, for clarity, the panther has many names, including puma, cougar and mountain lion-all of these names refer to the same animal in North America. South Dakota - South Dakota is home to mountain lions. They do have a tail, but it is only about 6 to 8 inches long. 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. Hurricane Irma: Lowcountry animals moved to the Upstate, Kumar the orangutan escapes Greenville Zoo exhibit - again, Wandering South Carolina elk 'rules the roost' at new home in Charles Towne Landing. Use anything at your disposal: a stick, rock, or better yet, bear spray. The female is about twice the size of a house cat, and if you spot one out in the open, it's not a good sign as they tend to stay away from people and out of sight. At first, Koehler was concerned that it might be a woman or hiker in need of help. Don't underestimate the power and unpredictable nature of a feral hog! There was one outside of my son's school once and all the kids saw it. The city of Simpsonville has also received calls about mountain lions over the years, according to Colleen Jenkins, an animal code enforcement officer for the city. Might have been Monster Quest. Fish and Wildlife . In an instant my senses said 'Bobcat.' In South Carolina, this often leads to them eating smaller deer, rabbits, and rats. 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. Make noise, make yourself appear larger by waving your arms. Nikolay Kapustin, deputy zoo administrator and veterinarian at the Greenville Zoo, said the prints, which measure 2.5 inches long, are likely coyote tracks. The cougar (also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, catamount, puma, and other names) was once one of the most widely distributed mammals in the Western Hemisphere. Paddling Through The Hidden Wadboo Creek Is A Magical South Carolina Adventure That Will Light Up Your Soul, This Rustic Shack Restaurant In South Carolina Serves Up Heaping Helpings Of Seafood, Open For More Than Half A Century, Dining At Tonys Pizzalicious In South Carolina Is Always A Timeless Experience, Cool Off Under A Waterfall At This South Carolina Hotel, Some Of The Worst Drivers In The Nation Are Found In Three Top Cities In South Carolina According To A New Study, Step Inside A 1790s Ghost Town To See The Rubble That Remains Of Pinckneyville, South Carolina, Sip Wine And Mingle With Ghosts In One Of South Carolinas Oldest, Most Haunted Bars, Most People Dont Know About South Carolinas Deadly Tornado Alley. As for the black panthers the US, the majority of people are skeptical. 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. The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. Kristin Hitchcock. The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America. Or could it? The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists both of these races as endangered. 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. Mountain lions are 7-9 feet, while bobcats are 3 feet long. All rights reserved. Their beige or tawny fur helps camouflage them in countless environments. So what IS out there that these folks are seeing? Two clicks on Google search brought up pictures exactly like what I had seen - an Eastern cougar cub. See answer (1) Copy. Scientists view these large cats as a distinct population (but still the same species) from the mountain lions of the western U.S. 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. Update privacy preferences to allow Google Map. Their small size paired with their stealth ability allows them to stay hidden quite well. (With Pictures), The latest veterinarians' answers to questions from our database, How to Help an Abused Dog Recover 8 Tips and Tricks, Lymphadenopathy in Cats: Signs, Causes & Care. There are no known mountain lions in North Carolina. Petersen quotes local nature guide Kathi Livingston, 'I know they say the cougars we see are escaped or released. A 2011 article from The Post and Courier revealed a string of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in the Lowcountry. Most people in the eastern U.S. havent ever seen a wild mountain lion or jaguar or leopard, said Butfiloski. Up until they get about 75 pounds, and they start eating three pounds of T-bone steak a day and tearing the furniture up and terrorizing the neighborhood.. 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 sprint. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011. But Chastain believes theyre only different from the Western cougars in that theyre smaller, which is a natural phenomenon among animal species in warmer climates. Mcclellanville, folks are coming forward to report their own territory home to mountain lions despite the lack of.! To warmer climates boar, eagles, and all of a sudden I looked and there it a! The black panther along with black bears. 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