Im making fun, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. Bobcats are known for taking down predators larger than themselves, but the mountain lion is just too much larger and stronger. Well probably see younger males pop up here and there in the remote areas of the mountains. The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. Well, this atleast proves that there are big cats in SC. What are potassium channel activators used for? The mountain lion was there hundreds of thousands of years before you . Flickr/Ken McMillan. All rights reserved. However, an individual animal is occasionally observed, or killed, as a result of someone releasing a "pet" cougar that got to be too much for them to handle. Yet "domestic coyotes are responsible for 20 deaths every year." "The actual threat to people by . Just as armadillo sightings and occasional crocodile visits are being noted around our coast, it's possible, that the Florida panther has made his way north, too. The mountain lion is the largest cat in the borders of the United States and it roams mostly across the western states. Subscribe today! . By Edmund Duncan May 31, 2022. Therefore, they are not exactly something we would count as big cats.. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. Robert Downing, a former Clemson-based biologist for the U.S. Cougars do not do well with roads and are often the victim of collisions with cars. Charles Koehler, a Travelers Rest resident,was working in his garden last month when he heard a series of loud screams coming from the woods behind his house. Make noise, make yourself appear larger by waving your arms. 3300 Poinsett Highway (Dr. Thomas B. Horton is a history teacher at Porter-Gaud School. Their bobbed tail is one of their most distinguishing features. The few precious seconds that we locked eyes thirty feet from each other will remain one of my cherished memories. Another panther blog carries a local comment, 'My dad was born and raised in the Cainhoy area and used to tell me stories of the mountain lions that were around. Since there is no melanistic, or black, phase to the cougar, Florida or Western, that is actually not genetically possible, he said. Even thought they're on the endangered species list. Most of their fur is a shade of beige, although some develop a darker . We Inform. It is estimated that cougars make a kill of a large prey item (deer, etc) about once each week. In fact, somesay its already happening. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. With the closest mountain lion population being in South Florida, cougars would have to travel very far to end up in South Carolina. South Carolina Wildlife Federation, 455 St. Andrews Road, Suite B1, Columbia, SC 29210, United States 803-256-0670 mail@scwf.org They were once major factors in the ecosystems of our South Carolina forests and coastal swamps where adults killed deer and other large prey items (wild hogs, raccoons, woodland buffalo, etc). If you look closely enough, or have enough bright light, you can see spots amongst the dark fur. By 'The DNR swears up and down there are no mountain lions left in SC. Most of the mountain lions in South Dakota can be found in the Black Hills region, where there are an estimated 300 . Never heard anything like it. 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, even this species is not very large. Adults are largely nocturnal, solitary and territorial. With that said, there are some sightings of mountain lions and cougars but none of them have been confirmed. Tom Horton; Jul 2, 2012 Jul 2, 2012 Updated Aug 20, 2020; . Mountain lions cover a huge range - all the way from Alaska to Argentina and southern Chile. 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. They do have a tail, but it is only about 6 to 8 inches long. Now to complicate matters further, there are some cougars/pumas living in Florida that are considered to be of the native Eastern variety. 4. When this species eats poisoned rats, they become poisoned as well and will eventually die. The thespians were nearly the stars of a Greek tragedy that day. 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. Usually, this is a result of their food sources being destroyed or the use of rat poison. Adult females are smaller, averaging 80-90 pounds. 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. Greenville and Pickens Counties are among the several counties where sightings have been reported in South Carolina. Genetic data gathered from a number of samples shows a distinct lack of the genes required for that coloration. "Many of these deaths have occurred in British Columbia, on Vancouver Island. 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. What You Need to Know! She currently resides in Tennessee with four dogs, three cats, two fish, and a lizard, though she has dreams of owning chickens one-day! 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. Trail cam picture of mountain lion in SC. Due to the terrain and plentiful food sources, mountain lion sightings will occur and certain precautions should be taken by residents. If you have any questions regarding the accuracy of this data, please contact us at help@rockethomes.com. This species is also known to hunt and potentially kill domesticated felines. Most sightings are not likely established populations. The mountain lion has a long tail (2.5-3 feet), while the bobcat has a short tail (less than 10 inches). "There are no known cougars in North Carolina," Jodie Owens of the N.C. Wildlife Resources . The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. The mountain lion ( Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. 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. Image Credit: bmarxdueren, Pixabay. 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. Jaguars and leopards, on the other hand, have a gene that occurs in six percent of the population that causes black cats. Mountain lions, or eastern cougars, once "lived in every Eastern state in a variety of habitats including coastal marshes, mountains and forests," according to the U.S. 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. Coyotes, deer, boar, eagles, and every snake imaginable. 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. You can tell the similarities by looking at them, specifically thanks to their black-tipped ears. We need a top predator to keep the coyotes under control.. 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. Our students develop intellectually from a challenging and supportive academic experience and, through high-impact, real-world experiences and mentoring, graduate ready for accelerated career and community impact. 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. So rather than a unique species, the Eastern Cougar was a distinct variation within the cougar population that roamed throughout North America. the Service is seeking information on the status of the eastern cougar in the 21 states from Maine to South Carolina and west from Michigan to Tennessee where the Endangered Species . This feline only gets to about 25 pounds at most. When you see the name "panther" "painter", "catamount" and other cougar synonyms attached to creeks, mountain peaks, gaps, and other features of our topography, it is a testament to the fact that this large predator was not only once here in South Carolina and the eastern US, but that its presence impressed people enough to name a place after it. The main reason people believe that there is a mountain lion population is that there have been some reported sightings. Sometimes, these cats get pushed very far away from where they were born.. Old-timers there used to point out the bear pits where their ancestors trapped black bears for their pelts. Several years later, the story of a federal foresters escape from the clutches of a black panther in Oconee County made headlines. Pick up small children or dogs as they are more likely to run and are more vulnerable. Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. Cougars are rather long and slender in appearance. Instead, most cat sightings are likely bobcats. Whether alumni of Furman, the parent of a Furman alumni or a friend of Furman, we consider everyone who supports this institution a member of the Furman family. If attacked, fight back. They just stick to the shadows. Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. Do not turn your back. You may try donating it to a zoo, but not many zoos are looking for cougars. Are there Mountain Lions in South Carolina? In 1973, the agency added the eastern cougar to the List of Endangered . Butfiloski, however, believes black panther sightings are likely black coyotes, bears, bobcats, and other wild animals. However, as people moved into the area, much of their environment was destroyed. Web design & hosting powered by eNation Worldwide. Driving along U.S. 341 an hour before sunset near the intersection of Winterhaven Road, one mile east of Kershaw, I saw what appeared to be a very large Tom cat crossing the road. Young males must find their own territory after leaving their mothers. There haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s. He said there used to be a den behind the Bowles horse farm before the farm was there. Contributed by John Garton, SCWF Board Member Emeritus. Greenville Journal. Here is a list of the wild cats of South America: 10. 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. The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. The only established large cat is the bobcat in South Carolina. Photo donated by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Kameron Peresnovich. More:Wandering South Carolina elk 'rules the roost' at new home in Charles Towne Landing. There's no question there are some. Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. Long thought to be extinct, the Carolina version of the big Eastern cougar is alive and very well, thank you. Their beige or tawny fur helps camouflage them in countless environments. Therefore, it is not unheard of for a young male to wander into the state for a time and then leave. 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. 26 Sep 16. Big Cat arched his back the way cats do when alarmed, and he bounded into the woods. The eastern cougar historically lived from Maine to South Carolina and from Michigan to Tennessee, the wildlife service said. 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. Even more unlikely is for the jaguar to make it that far to have the rare gene that causes it to be solid black,said Perry. While they are relatively common in the state, it is actually quite difficult to spot them. We Connect. The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America. UNSPECIFIED - MARCH 03: Cougar, Puma or Mountain Lion (Puma concolor), Felidae. This one looks almost cute, but that's because it's sleeping. . Sometimes, they travel quite far to make this happen and they may travel so far that they end up in South Carolina. A distinctive feature is their 30-inch long tail (so different from our native and still abundant bobcat, which has a very short tail). However, should one be sighted, it is now illegal to kill them. The head was round and large, the color was mottled brown, the height exceeded that of a house cat - that tail - well, it was as long as the cat and very thick. Can Cats Eat Kale? Theres just no scientific documentation to back that up.. Jeff Mulhollem. The size of a lion's territory depends on the availability of food and habitat quality. Exceptionally stealth in staying hidden, bobcats are found in South Carolina, especially in the coastal plain. Although an occasional large cat being kept as a pet may escape from captivity, there has been no evidence of a reproducing population of cougars in the state. Therefore, your odds of seeing a mountain lion are extremely low. But if so, are there mountain lions in North Carolina? So if there arent any Eastern cougars to be protected, it seems there wont be any need to worry about protecting their habitat anymore. South Carolina Wildlife Federation, 455 St. Andrews Road, Suite B1, Columbia, SC 29210, United States. The last known living Eastern Cougar was sighted and suspected to have been killed in 1938. Contact: (855) 411-0505. Mountain lions were once native to South Carolina. Note: A number of other species all over the world have been declared extinct, only to be rediscovered, having survived in a very tiny population that was out of sight long enough to assume them extinct. 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! 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. Bobcats are an elusive species. There has never been a record or credible account of a black cougar in Eastern North America, Chastain said. But who knows in a generation or so what might happen, he said. Their home ranges vary in size depending on the location. 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. They are extremely shy and nocturnal for the most part. By Nothing there, however, is meaner than the redbugs which inhabit the pine straw. Usually a shy cat, the cougar prefers to stalk its prey and is rarely ever a threat to people. Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet and elusive. South Carolina is no stranger to dangerous wildlife. stands 3,560 feet tall. Speaking of Florida, the Florida Panther is actually a subspecies of the . According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the last Pennsylvania mountain lion was killed in the late 1800s. 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. The story cites lack of hard evidence for the . Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. Kristin is passionate about helping pet parents create a fulfilling life with their pets by informing them on the latest scientific research and helping them choose the best products for their pets. When you live and learn in community with others, you develop deeper bonds, build better support systems and form stronger friendships. I think many people just get excited when trail cameras or videos reveal an animal in the woods.. Many wildlife experts and authorities are hoping that mountain lions will eventually migrate east from the Rocky Mountain states and repopulate the region. In South Carolina it is thought that the cougars occurring here were of both the eastern race (Felis concolor cougar) and the Florida race (Felis concolor coryi). Although gone from the eastern US (except Florida), the cougar is doing well throughout much of the western US, and is a game animal in many locations. Lets muddy the water a little more. The DNR stays on top of managing it for us, and for that were grateful. The largest cat native to the eastern US, adults can exceed 8 ft in total length (including their tail) and 200 lbs. 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. I stopped the car thirty feet away, and we stared at each other for a few moments. They have short ears and large round heads. I'm not Bill Bryson, and this column isn't entitled 'A Walk In the Woods.' Slot canyons. 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. We can thank the Spanish for the mean wild pigs found here. The large cats are not staying and breeding in the state. At Furman, students live on campus all four years. Then, rather than establish a territory like they would in the West where they are far more numerous, they adopt "a vagabond strategy and roam an area of hundreds of square miles, Chastain said. Originally there were 11 subspecies of cougars . 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. Furmans academics combine classroom learning and premier majors with experiences in research, internships, study away and community-centered learning. You can legally trap and hunt bobcats with the right permit but they are endangered in some areas. They are most active around dawn and dusk, though they will technically come out at any time. Only government bureaucrats could come up with a twist of logic like that. This Florida population, once down to about 50 animals, is now thought to be back in excess of 100 animals as a positive result of recovery plans. 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. There may be a hint of nail indentations, which cats wouldnt have,he said. 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. 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