Or perhaps some of the sightings are of released pet pumas. These sightings are coming from everyday people who claim they know what they saw and cannot be convinced otherwise. Yes. 'These cats are in Tennessee now' Cougars, also known as mountain lions, panthers and pumas, had not been seen in Tennessee for a century until reported in 2015, said TWRA Cougar Specialist and Wildlife Biologist Joy Sweaney. Bobby, Brenda and Zack were doing what every child did- they were playing in the woods. The North Cherokee Forest is just one of the undeveloped areas that cats could live and prosper. Additional charges are pending. This is certainly the case in Tennessee. This is another very impressively large Maine Coon cat. First, we have to remember that cougars, especially males, can have a home range that reaches for hundreds of miles. The experts have long said that mountain lions don’t exist in the eastern half to two-thirds of America due to over-hunting and habitat loss. Tennessee ranks No. It was nearly 200 years ago when future-president Andrew … For non-America residents, this state is in the east of the US. “Several sightings have occurred at the site of a known animal crossing in the park.” Besides reviewing the sighting reports, Linzey seeks other evidence of mountain lions. We have a healthy population of game animals such as deer, turkey, rabbits, squirrels, and other small animals so a cougar population could find plenty of food in the deep hollows and hills of these mountains. You need a certain minimum number (around 100) to sustain a population and even then you get inbreeding and infertile males (the Florida panther is the classic example). When one of these things happen, then we can confirm the existence of these mighty cats in our back yards. One online newspaper (wvlt.tv) said that there has been at least nine confirmed sightings (as at Feb 16, 2017) from Central or West Tennessee. No graphic photos but the content is very disturbing. They are literally found from Memphis to Mountain City. Predators were terribly misunderstood and hunted, resulting in plummeting … Any large heavily wooded land like state/national parks would be a suitable habitat. These animals were all related to the Florida panther. This apex predator once roamed the U.S. from coast to coast, making mountain ranges, woodland forests and river corridors their homes. Tennesseeans want to know if there are mountain lions (pumas, cougars) in Tennessee. Mountain lions are known for making a sound very much like a woman screaming in fear and you are not alone many people heard the eerie scream of the mountain lion and sighting a Black Mountain Lion is a rare and unexpected event and so unexpected that it's common for … Tennessee allows people to have captive mountain lions, but there were none that they knew about in that region, he said. But are they really extinct? The ‘new normal’ caused by COVID-19 may make this the wors... 16-year-old cat dropped off at a vet clinic to euthanize because owner... $2,000 reward for two cats dumped by a transport driver who ‘nee... We have the knowledge of the world at our fingertips yet we choose to ... Feral cats may be ‘outsmarted’ by the new Tomahawk “... Compassion fatigue: Animal rescuers can’t save them all and the ... Missouri man admitted he would scour Craigslist ads for free cats then... Picture of another huge and long Maine Coon. Even though there are some other types of animals that GSMNP is famous for, like salamanders, I am going to stick to the stuff you are probably more interested in. Fish and Wildlife Service. Cougar, puma, mountain lion, catamount, painter and panther are all common names for the same majestic animal that once roamed most of North America. Finally, much of East Tennessee is untamed wilderness area that would give these cats a good home range without human encroachment. But what is everyone seeing in East Tennessee and mistaking it for a mountain lion? You will receive notifications within 24 hours. But the numbers in the east are very low. Whatever the source, I’m reasonably certain that we have mountain lions in the Smokies region. If there is one logic says there are more. According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee has had ten confirmed sightings and genic evidence confirms at least one of these cats was a breeding female. There are mountain lions in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but wildlife officials still call them extinct and haven’t done much to support their populations. With 18 native South American names, 25 Native American names, and 40 English names, this big cat has a big list of sobriquets that all boil down to the same thing: mountain lion. Cougars, also known as Mountain Lions or Pumas, are native to Tennessee, but there were no sightings of cougars from the early 1900's until recently. However, the cougar, also known as puma, painter, mountain lion and panther, has been documented by trail camera and DNA analysis to, at least in passing, have recently been present in TN. Officially, no mountain lions in the east of US. Are there mountain lions in Tennessee? I don't know his name. NOTE: VERY GRAPHIC ARTICLE. These are just a few I’m seeing over and over on Facebook. “The servals long legs [the lo, It’s the beginning of a new week and to start that week off with a smile I’d like to present adorable photos of dogs babysitting kittens. Your email address will not be published. Thanks Kevin for adding to the evidence. The Eastern Cougar was on an endangered species list until 2011 when it was officially declared extinct by the U.S. That transport driver needs a good ‘ass beating’ for abandoning Jack and Bean outside, The two pictures on this page show us the satellite-dish ears of the serval, a lanky, medium-sized wild cat species. Read more to Home page. According to these same biologists, the Eastern Mountain Lion was officially declared extinct in 2005 and the last known mountain lion in Tennessee was killed in 1920. Are there mountain lions in east Tennessee? I am concerned about their welfare. You’ll read a random report every now and then, but that’s why it makes news. Domestic cat had to live outside the home all his life, Young woman asks if it is okay to date older man who loves cats, Question in Texas school quiz asks if it is normal in parts of China to eat cats and dogs. The ridge and the valley could probably expect some armadillos there at some point." Many states around us recognize that the cougars are back in their state. However, if you search for answers to the question (and this applies to other states in the east too) you’ll find that residents are seeing cougars in the east. Thanks. Inbred royals were less capable so what about inbred purebred cats? In the landmark 1974 book “Mammals of Kentucky,” authors Roger W. Barbour and Wayne H. Davis noted there were no valid records of a mountain lion in the state after 1899. After over 100 years they are back! It wasn’t that long ago when coyotes weren’t seen in Tennessee. These stories are not coming from individuals who have had too much to drink or from someone seeking attention. Plenty of trail cam pictures have been published locally too for the past ten years. Yes and no. Michael posted an article on this very topic back in September 2017 stating animal rescue, A St. Peters, Missouri man who would scour Craigslist ads for free cats has been charged with felony animal cruelty. This is a screenshot of IUCN Red List map. It’s not like y’all are out there reading headlines every morning about deer sightings or raccoon sightings. He is ... People want to see giant Maine Coon pictures because people like large domestic cats. Are the numbers sufficient to allow the population to be sustainable? My email address: michael@pictures-of-cats.org, A well-known animal rescuer was found dead of an apparent suicide Wednesday night. Maine Coons are positively not dangerous; quite the opposite. They can be domesticated to a certain extent like cheetahs. They also say that there are mountain lions in neighbouring Georgia. Seeing a mountain lion isn’t really all that common in Tennessee. All the maps say that they were extirpated many years ago in that half of the US. Cougar Encounters. They see a blurry image of a house cat, dog, fox, bear, etc., on a game camera or see something cross in front of them along a road and mistake it for a mountain lion. Little by little they moved east expanding their territory until now they are living on the outskirts of every major town in Tennessee. It looks genuine but we can’t sure. The animals have also been spotted in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Georgia. Plus, the TWRA states that there has never been a totally black cougar. Bobcats are very common in the Smokies region, but they are very secretive and are seldom seen. 5 out of the 50 states in terms of where one is most likely to be killed by an animal. The girls screamed and Zack grabbed the youngest child and carried her as they all ran back to their house. Mountain Lion In East Tennessee - YouTube The Mountain Lion has returned to East Tennessee. The most recent was earlier this … A lot of people like to keep this large cat as a pet because their characters are quite nice. Last year, there were multiple confirmed sighting of … In terms of status symbol and pure delight the huge Maine Coon, an example of which is seen in the ... We all like monster Maine Coons and here is one. Any queries please email me on the above address. I think the ‘experts’ should change their official views and maps because there’s too much evidence that the mountain lion lives in the east. Cougar Subspecies in North America. To confirm a sighting with TWRA, an individual must submit a hair sample, a photo from a regular camera or a game camera or the mountain lion itself, if it is found dead. So, having cougars in East Tennessee could be a possibility because they could travel that far seeking to expand their home range. But Missouri is not by itself. They are carnivorous little kitties, and though they can only grow up to three feet in length and weigh up to twenty pounds, they can kill small deer. Before qualifying I worked in many jobs including professional photography. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. Raccoons prowling campgrounds for unsecured human food are second only to bears in causing wildlife problems for visitors. It is against state game laws to kill a mountain lion. These Tennessee mountain lions may be migrating from the north or perhaps the west of the US where they are known to exist. Your email address will not be published. That same year, in Carroll County, DNA from hair samples definitively linked a female panther to populations in South Dakota. These being bears, wolves, and mountain lions. Because Tennessee law protects all animals for which no hunting season is proclaimed, the cougar is protected in Tennessee. That leaves about one to two percent of the sightings to be authentic. The modern day barn cat is as close as we can get, With the complications of our ‘new normal’ created by countries and states going into strict quarantine due to COVID-19, many who care for feral cats are worried. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. For much of that time, he’s cultivated a special interest in an animal that’s achieved almost mythic status in the minds of many mountain residents—the mountain lion. All of these sightings have been in middle and western Tennessee and there have been no confirmed sightings in East Tennessee. Cougars, Puma concolor, Cougar Status in Tennessee. 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To the Editor: The American Rescue Plan recently signed into law included a portion that is significant to veterans that receive their health care at ... To wit, in 2015, the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency confirmed, for the first time in 100 years, the presence of mountain lions in Tennessee, after a man in Humphreys County—west of Nashville and about 300 miles from the Smokies—captured photos of one on a trail camera. Required fields are marked *, Check here to Subscribe to notifications for new posts, HTML tags allowed in your comment:
. Numerous sightings, videos, and DNA tests… Hi, I'm a 72-year-old retired solicitor (attorney in the US). Cougars Making a Comeback After disappearing from the landscape, cougars are making a comeback in Tennessee. Experts in Tennessee don’t know exactly how many mountain lions are roaming the area, but they do know one thing for sure: at least one of them is a female. I have a girlfriend, Michelle. | Add your comment. For non-America residents, this state is in the east of the US. Pictures of cat and chicken buddies rescued from California fires. However, there are too many sightings, and some are good, to simply ignore them. There have been seven confirmed sightings of the big cat in Middle and West Tennessee since September 2015. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's position on mountain lions remains consistent: there isn't a population in Greene County. We may, Feral colony cats may be outsmarted by the new Tomahawk live trap. The experts have long said that mountain lions don’t exist in the eastern half to two-thirds of America due to over-hunting and habitat loss. Visitors occasionally report seeing mountain lions, however, no concrete scientific evidence of their existence (such as tracks, scat, or other signs) has been found in the area in nearly 30 years. Please click here and send me an email if you'd like your email address to be added to the list of PoC subscribers. Back when I was active, Animal rescuers can’t save them all (even though some people think they can) and the stress is taking its toll on those dedicated to trying. They were skinned and pictures were apparently taken. The Family Felidae contains a number of species, including jaguars, ocelots, mountain lions, bobcats, lynxes and domestic cats. Like the red wolf, early colonization extirpated the cougar from a large majority of its territory. I have lived all of my life in the mountains of Carter County and I can recall dozens of incidents that cougars were spotted in this county. Stace, I love barn cats. Puma concolor is also known as mountain lion, catamount, puma, panther and cougar. I believe there are a few that pass through this area and maybe one or two that call these mountains home, but we cannot prove this until someone takes a photo of one, finds hair that can be used for DNA testing or photographs a cougar on a game camera. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Tennesseeans want to know if there are mountain lions (pumas, cougars) in Tennessee. That’s the standard answer. Tennessee is one of the possible locations for mountain lions to set up a population, especially since the state has a lot of habitat ideally suited to the species. The Cougar Network, whose researchers study mountain lion … The year was 1961. I don't know where the photograph ... 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