February 12, 2019, the story of a man who claimed to have been attacked by a black panther in Georgetown county spread quickly across news outlets and social media. Most tracks and pictures could possibly have been a different animal, which means that they cannot officially count as a cougar sighting. in weight. In 2007, Katie Araujo, a Paris Mountain resident, said she came face to face with a large black cat while sitting on her front porch. Jaguars and leopards, on the other hand, have a gene that occurs in six percent of the population that causes black cats. The sighting of this cougar cub occurred about a mile west of the Little Lynches River and within a few hundred yards from one of its tributary streams. Except for a very small population in Florida, there are no known groups in the Southeast, or east of the Mississippi in all truthfulness.. Their bobbed tail is one of their most distinguishing features. Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. 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. There have also been several sightings at Clemson University over the years. The last panther in the Great Smoky Mountains was dead. Input your search keywords and press Enter. Their fur is short and rather uniform reddish to light brown in color. Usually, this is a result of their food sources being destroyed or the use of rat poison. The younger, weaker male lions will travel to get away to other areas and establish their own territory. Cougars are known to have a long-range, especially males. In those streams where it's still possible to pan for tiny bits of gold, there can be heard the bone-chilling screech of the owl and the cry of the bobcat making a kill. 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. The few precious seconds that we locked eyes thirty feet from each other will remain one of my cherished memories. A 2011 article from The Post and Courier revealed a string of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in the Lowcountry. #1 The tail. . This cat can be found throughout much of South and North America. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. Too many sightings, all reporting a big cat with a long tail, big head and paws - can they all be explained away as poor visibility, overfed ferrel cats, or active imaginations? In an instant my senses said 'Bobcat.' . 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. In 1973, the agency added the eastern cougar to the List of Endangered . Jason Hawley says his office gets lots of . Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet and elusive. If attacked, fight back. Contributed by John Garton, SCWF Board Member Emeritus. But Im not sure well ever see an established breeding population., Simpsonville City Council Notes: Road resurfacing projects delayed until 2024, Greer City Council Notes: Mayfield Road subdivision plans withdrawn, plus new fire station gets early approval, Greenville Chamber highlights community strengths at annual meeting, Greenville-Pickens Speedway listed for sale as an industrial park, Photos: Coca-Cola mural in West End removed, Former Fountain Inn flour mill redevelopment project breaks ground, Thrive Upstate, DRUM Percussion Studio to host Drumming Up Awareness event, Eight NAI Furman brokers, two brokerage teams named 2022 NAI Global top producers. Brandon Tensley to join Capital Bs national team as politics reporter, Upstate student works to start relief effort for Turkey earthquake victims. Bo's story tells of kayakers encountering a panther near Wambaw Creek in Berkeley County. Complete index of all the wonderful cat breeds and mixes, Deciding what you can and cannot feed your furry friend is a crucial decision, We love our cats, and therefore we want to get them the best gear, Understanding cat behavior can set you both up for a happy, productive relationship, Complete index of all the wonderful dog breeds and mixes, Deciding what you can and cannot feed your four legged friend is a crucial decision, We love our dogs, and therefore we want to get them the best gear, Training your dog can set you both up for a happy, productive relationship, The most complete list of dog food recalls, The most complete list of cat food recalls. We Inspire. Cougars are rather long and slender in appearance. As a result, they are known to thrive in a wide range of ecosystems, so long as there is enough shelter and prey for the animals to live on. The mountain lion is largely extinct in the east, except in Florida. Ive received reports from every single county, he added. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. But peoplecould also be mistaking black panthers for pet mountain lions escaped from captivity, according to Perry. Last year, Ben Claes, owner of Jireh Property Services in Taylors, was cleaning a lawn down the street from Koehlers house after a snowstorm and noticed large tracks on the ground. 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. At full size, males are an unmissable 6-to-8-feet long and can weigh 150 pounds, say state officials. Read moreTeacher to Parent: Idea of voting for principals raises many questions, Theres alwa Read moreGuess the mystery plant: A South Carolina native pine, I like board Read moreColumn: A walk in winter woods. Im not the only person hearing and seeing these cats, said Koehler. They are active hunters and may cover as much as 20 miles in a night. As for the black panthers the US, the majority of people are skeptical. From Mauldin to McClellanville, folks are coming forward to report their own sightings of the phantom panther. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. They arent much bigger than a domestic house cat in many cases. The DNR stays on top of managing it for us, and for that were grateful. The subspecies as described in 1946 was declared extinct by the U.S. ), I am convinced, now more than ever, that we must be proactive with educator compensation immediately so that we can change the trajectory of the shortage in CCSD. The primary difference is that over time, the population that lived in the southern U.S. decreased in sizea normal adaptation to warmer climates. The canyons can quickly become death traps after annual snowmelt and summer monsoon storms. 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. by: Dennis Matherly. What IS Out There? Bobcats will eat a wide range of different foods. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. Yet "domestic coyotes are responsible for 20 deaths every year." "The actual threat to people by . However, bobcats are extremely small, ranging between 1025 pounds. The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. There are eight to 10 reported sightings of mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. Butfiloski, however, believes black panther sightings are likely black coyotes, bears, bobcats, and other wild animals. Bobcats are an elusive species. Many wildlife authorities and experts, however, remain skeptical of mountain lion sightings across the Southeast. . Low near 65F. It was big and muscular. Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. 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). 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. Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. In fact, there are more than 80 names for the puma, more names than any other animal, according to the book "Cougar: The American Lion," by Kevin Hansen.It is important to note, though, that pumas . 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. The dogs barked for several minutes, so I thought they had maybe treed some sort of animal,he said. You can legally trap and hunt bobcats with the right permit but they are endangered in some areas. Koehler called several neighbors, but they couldnt explain the barking. 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. While there may be a few stray mountain lions wandering around the state, there is not currently an established population. They . What are potassium channel activators used for? Jeff Mulhollem. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I stopped the car thirty feet away, and we stared at each other for a few moments. What You Need to Know! More:Hurricane Irma: Lowcountry animals moved to the Upstate. Young cougars are marked with dark spots. So heres whats happened: The U.S. Due to the terrain and plentiful food sources, mountain lion sightings will occur and certain precautions should be taken by residents. Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. In a fight between mountain lion vs bobcat, the mountain lion would win. I think many people just get excited when trail cameras or videos reveal an animal in the woods.. There are many reports made to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources each year about mountain lions. Thus, these cats inhabit rugged terrains with steep slopes and little vegetation. 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. However, even this species is not very large. Many wildlife experts and authorities are hoping that mountain lions will eventually migrate east from the Rocky Mountain states and repopulate the region. 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. However, there has not been a verified sighting in over 100 years. Never heard anything like it. 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. Are there black panthers in eastern North Carolina? There's no question there are some. The last recorded escape occurred in 2003 when a 200-pound pet mountain lion named Rage broke free from his cage in Laurens County. Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long . 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 mountain lion goes by many names, including cougar, catamount, panther, red tiger, deer tiger, and puma. The fight would probably play out with one of the creatures stalking the other. Some accounts from people in places like Travelers Rest and Simpsonville involve only sightings. Many biologists, myself included,would beexcited about the thoughtof finding a population of wild cougars in South Carolina.. Habitat. Well, this atleast proves that there are big cats in SC. This feline only gets to about . Instead, most cat sightings are likely bobcats. . 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. Adult females are smaller, averaging 80-90 pounds. Their small size paired with their stealth ability allows them to stay hidden quite well. This one looks almost cute, but that's because it's sleeping. When you live and learn in community with others, you develop deeper bonds, build better support systems and form stronger friendships. 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. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. He points to Florida where, despite a known population of less than 200, several Florida panthers are killed every year by vehicles. One is located in the mountains and the other is found in the coastal plains. Black bears can be found throughout North America. So what IS out there that these folks are seeing? 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. South Carolina has two populations of black bears. Should I Worry? Such conditions exist within Point Reyes National Seashore. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. We Inform. 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. You may try donating it to a zoo, but not many zoos are looking for cougars. They are extremely shy and nocturnal for the most part. Wild cat found in the mountains and the other Carolina today for.., bobcats, and Maine in 1938 summer monsoon storms found throughout much of South North. Several sightings at Clemson University over the years not very large and leopards, on the other there are out... Size, males are an unmissable 6-to-8-feet long and can weigh 150 pounds, say officials! 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