In an instant my senses said 'Bobcat.' . As for the black panthers the US, the majority of people are skeptical. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. For two hours my mind replayed the details of my encounter with what has to be the Carolina panther. 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. "We get lots of reports every year from folks who think they've seen a cougar. The only established population of wild cats in South Carolina is the bobcat, which is not very large in the least. 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. One is located in the mountains and the other is found in the coastal plains. Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. 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. 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. Service starts with Lions. Furman students are academically challenged and leave Furman as lifelong learners who are changing the communities around them. The range of a Mountain Lion may cover 25 to 785 square miles. A history of mistaken identity and conspiracies. 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. He said there used to be a den behind the Bowles horse farm before the farm was there. Well probably see younger males pop up here and there in the remote areas of the mountains. 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 were extirpated from Indiana by the late 1800s. I listened to bobcats, coyotes, and all kinds of other animals. 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. Genetic data gathered from a number of samples shows a distinct lack of the genes required for that coloration. 2023 www.independentmail.com. The dogs barked for several minutes, so I thought they had maybe treed some sort of animal,he said. My father encountered one on U.S. Highway 172 north of Summerville 40 years ago. Koehler called several neighbors, but they couldnt explain the barking. SCDNR has yet to receive a report of drivers hitting a mountain lion, 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. They can weigh anywhere from 1025 pounds. Take adventure to new heights in the majestic mountain region of the Palmetto State. There are some sightings of cougars in the area as well. When I stood up, it ran, shetold Fox News. So rather than a unique species, the Eastern Cougar was a distinct variation within the cougar population that roamed throughout North America. Eastern Cougar does inhabit South Carolina. 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 know, like the mascot of the NFL team based in Charlotte). However, as people moved into the area, much of their environment was destroyed. However, they have not been able to confirm any of these sightings. "There's just no scientific documentation to back that up." . 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. Today the only known reproducing population of cougars in the eastern US occurs in south Florida in the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. Coyotes, deer, boar, eagles, and every snake imaginable. 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 1973, the agency added the eastern cougar to the List of Endangered . 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. The responding officers later spotted the animal near Earle and Daniel halls, according to reports. 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. My fears were that folks would say that dusk had played tricks on my eyes, that somebody's big Tom was on the prowl. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. Therefore, your odds of seeing a mountain lion are extremely low. As a territorial species, these cats do not live close to each other. Web design & hosting powered by eNation Worldwide. The Mauldin Police Department tried to capture the cat using a metal cage baited with a slab of beef donated by a local grocery store but quit after trying for several days. 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. There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. Hence, there was no Eastern puma/cougar to go extinct in the first place. You're probably more likely to get into the Hardrock 100-and win it-than to see a mountain lion east of the Mississippi River.There are no mountain lions in Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Newfoundland and . Most of their fur is a shade of beige, although some develop a darker . Well probably see younger males pop up here and there in the remote areas of the mountains. But they arent true Eastern cougars. The reason given is that it had declared the animal to be extinct in 2011. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. Sometimes, they travel quite far to make this happen and they may travel so far that they end up in South Carolina. It had the exact cadence and shrillness of a females call when shes looking for a mate, he said. Bobcats are an elusive species. 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). Well, this atleast proves that there are big cats in SC. Mistaken identities may also occur with the cougar's smaller relative, the bobcat. There may be a hint of nail indentations, which cats wouldnt have,he said. Most people in the eastern U.S. havent ever seen a wild mountain lion or jaguar or leopard, said Butfiloski. With spectacular hiking trails, scenic waterfalls and sweeping views, the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina are an outdoor enthusiast's dream. "In South Carolina and in the wildlife community, there is no debate" about the presence of cougars in the east, Lucas said. What's it like standing all day dressed up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at people? There is another possibility that seems to be increasing in likelihood in recent years. Some accounts from people in places like Travelers Rest and Simpsonville involve only sightings. They do have a tail, but it is only about 6 to 8 inches long. 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. I'm not Bill Bryson, and this column isn't entitled 'A Walk In the Woods.' 26 Sep 16. I did email the DNR when I got home 7 days later but never heard anything back.'. I was just sitting here, and all of a sudden I looked and there it was on my front porch. Some actually believe mountain lion sightings in South Carolina can be attributed to the Florida panther, the only surviving subspecies of eastern cougar. The northeastern U.S. population is thought to have disappeared in the 1930s. July 21, 2017. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. South Dakota - South Dakota is home to mountain lions. Male mountain lions, also known as toms, occasionally travel long distances and sometimes appear from South Carolina to New England, according to Perry. More recent mountain lion reports stem from the Upstate. . The one potential South Carolina mountain lion, the eastern cougar, was declared extinct in 2011. The mountain lion is largely extinct in the east, except in Florida. Hepper is reader-supported. The mountain lion has a long tail (2.5-3 feet), while the bobcat has a short tail (less than 10 inches). By Edmund Duncan May 31, 2022. The large cats are not staying and breeding in the state. But then I found some female mountain lion sounds, and it was dead on. This feline only gets to about 25 pounds at most. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Bobcats will eat a wide range of different foods. Their name is derived from their short, or bobbed, tail. Find a Local Lions Club. The Goddard School opens Woodruff Road location in Greenville, City of Greenville to temporarily close a portion of Academy Street on March 6, 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. Posts: 1,441. You will receive your first email soon. Luckily, the big cats probably wont pose a serious threat to public safety when they do appear in South Carolina, according to Butfiloski. The eastern cougar, however, was declared extinct in 2011. Stay on top of dog food recalls here >, Have a question? A 2011 article from The Post and Courier revealed a string of unconfirmed mountain lion sightings in the Lowcountry. I'll tell you, these things are so fast I don't see any domestication at all.' One is located in the mountains and the other is found in the coastal plains. There was one outside of my son's school once and all the kids saw it. 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. Apparently, there may not ever have even been a subspecies of the critter in the East different from its big cat cousins in the West also called mountain lions the agency goes on to report. 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. 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! These cats get their name from their short tail. So what IS out there that these folks are seeing? There isn't any evidence of mountain lions currently living in North Carolina. We Inspire. Have you spotted any of the above in an out-of-place spot in the Palmetto State! Sassafras Mt. As we previously stated, these cats are not currently established in the state. A distinctive feature is their 30-inch long tail (so different from our native and still abundant bobcat, which has a very short tail). Due to the terrain and plentiful food sources, mountain lion sightings will occur and certain precautions should be taken by residents. 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. "Many of these deaths have occurred in British Columbia, on Vancouver Island. In others, the encounters are more direct, like the report from a U.S. Forest Service employee who said a big cat had chased him into the Chattooga River. However, should one be sighted, it is now illegal to kill them. The eastern cougar, however, was declared extinct in 2011. They are so prevalent that many people believe there are more mountain lions than there really are. A Florida panther in South Carolina? The last recorded escape occurred in 2003 when a 200-pound pet mountain lion named Rage broke free from his cage in Laurens County. For a solid four seconds, Marchibroda watched as a large, sleek cat standing about three feet tall with a long, curled tail crossed Skyline Drive near Gavel Springs Gap less than 100 feet in front of them . Input your search keywords and press Enter. Here in southern Utah, lions have been known to occupy home ranges as large as 513 square miles. Our approach to admissions may be holistic, but our goal is singular: find the most well-rounded, academically accomplished and interesting students out there. 4. 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. There are eight to 10 reported sightings of mountain lions, also called cougars or pumas, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year. South Carolina - South Carolina has not had any confirmed mountain lion sightings. Florida spent more than $1 million to protect these cougars which also are called panthers, he said. Contributed by John Garton, SCWF Board Member Emeritus. Their home ranges vary in size depending on the location. The last known living Eastern Cougar was sighted and suspected to have been killed in 1938. A Duncan, South Carolina, woman recently encountered a mountain lion while hunting and captured the intense standoff between her and the animal on camera.Watch the full video below or here. Some even claim to have spotted black panthers in the Lowcountry swamps. The Canadian Wildlife Service has taken no position on the taxonomy. 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. Cougars are rather long and slender in appearance. Because of their immense range, cougars can be seen in a number of habitats. While these cats are too small to threaten most people, they can sometimes hunt small livestockchickens are the most common victims. 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. Their fur is short and rather uniform reddish to light brown in color. Koehler wasnt able to record the sound before the mystery creature moved on, but he remains adamant theres a mountain lion roaming around his house. The story was soon revealed to be a hoax but it reignited the many rumors of panthers and large wild cats in South Carolina. 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. But I think many people are mistaking coyotes, bobcats, and other animals for mountain lions.. Height: 3,068. The US Fish and Wildlife Service lists both of these races as endangered. The thespians were nearly the stars of a Greek tragedy that day. 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. Theres also the matter of the absolute lack of any big cats being hit and killed by vehicles on our roads. What You Need to Know! "Since 1890 there have been 19 fatal Mountain Lion attacks in Canada and the United States," Mattson said. Many ridges, creeks, swamps and mountains were long . 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. This cat can be found throughout much of South and North America. While some South Carolinians are reportedly spotting mountain lions, others are claiming to see something much more menacing: a black panther. Get more stories delivered right to your email. SCDNR said the prints were from a dog, but Im not sure I really agree with them.. Thus, these cats inhabit rugged terrains with steep slopes and little vegetation. Therefore, it is not unheard of for a young male to wander into the state for a time and then leave. It was a female mountain lion.. History of Large Cats in South Carolina First, for clarity, the panther has many names, including puma, cougar and mountain lionall of these names refer to the same animal in North America. Slot canyons. Bobcats are known for taking down predators larger than themselves, but the mountain lion is just too much larger and stronger. Nikolay Kapustin, deputy zoo administrator and veterinarian at the Greenville Zoo, said the prints, which measure 2.5 inches long, are likely coyote tracks. There are cougars out there, but they are all without exception the progeny of released Western cougars, he said. Their beige or tawny fur helps camouflage them in countless environments. Sorry, Carolina Panthers football fans! Update privacy preferences to allow Google Map. There has never been a record or credible account of a black cougar in Eastern North America, Chastain said. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. What You Need to Know! 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. Robert Downing, a former Clemson-based biologist for the U.S. It was at least 5 foot long plus the length of its thick long tail which was at least 3 feet. Greenville, SC 29613. Since then, there have been more sightings, but none of them have been confirmed. The only recognized population of mountain lions in the South is in South Florida in the Everglades, said Travis Perry, an associate biology professor at Furman University. The last three eastern cougars were killed in 1930 in Tennessee, New Brunswick in 1932, and Maine in 1938. At first, Koehler was concerned that it might be a woman or hiker in need of help. Staying Safe Around Wild Cats in South Carolina Image Credit: milesz, Pixabay. 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. Panther cubs are adorableuntil they grow large enough to eat their owners and become difficult to handle. But adult males average 140 pounds and 7 feet long from snout to tail. Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. Cougars are one of the largest cats in the western hemisphere, but their highly-secretive nature as ambush predators with an ingrained aversion to humans mean they are rarely seen. 2. 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. If you look closely enough, or have enough bright light, you can see spots amongst the dark fur. Cougars do not do well with roads and are often the victim of collisions with cars. Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. Do not turn your back. Young males must find their own territory after leaving their mothers. He paused on the side of the road. 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. 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. 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.. 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. Mountain lions were once native to South Carolina. . Young cougars are marked with dark spots. 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. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Holly and Hazel, welcome to the Bay Area. Wed love to know! Are There Big Cats in South Carolina? In 2007, Terrance Fletcher, a technician with the U.S. Forest Service, claimed he was chased into the Chattooga River by a 7-foot-long panther with jet black fur. By the 1960s, mountain lions dwindled in the western states but managed to survive into the 21st century. We Inform. 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. 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. So if there arent any Eastern cougars to be protected, it seems there wont be any need to worry about protecting their habitat anymore. Are you thoroughly confused? Instead, most cat sightings are likely bobcats. At full size, males are an unmissable 6-to-8-feet long and can weigh 150 pounds, say state officials. Speaking of Florida, the Florida Panther is actually a subspecies of the . Leopards, however, live in Africa and Asia. Coyotes in South Carolina now thats another story. However, bobcats are extremely small, ranging between 1025 pounds. 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). They . Im not the only person hearing and seeing these cats, said Koehler. Back away slowly, preferably to a place of shelter like a building or vehicle. Many people claimtheyre actually seeing a black mountain lion, but there has never been a mountain lion that has been seen, killed, or bred in captivity that is black,according to Perry. Over the span of my career in the Charleston County School Districts Human Resources Division, I have been a part of numerous di Read moreOpEd: Increased educator compensation key to teacher retention, What do you think of the current political issue of electing school principals? Theyve been here for thousands of years, Chastain said. Why are there no mountain lions in PA? These animals often end up being released into the wilderness areas. Thats when he started comparing animal calls online. The cougar (Puma concolor), also known as mountain lion, panther, painter, puma, and catamount, is the largest feline animal in North America. Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. 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