Cougars in the Appalachians

[storch]

Originally posted by SunTracker
I read that there is over 100 panthers in Florida now.  The limiting factor now is uninhabited land.  Panthers (cougars) need a very large range, and usually need to eat a deer every 7 to 10 days.  They can also jump 45 feet horizontally and 15 feet vertically.

I hope you are correct.  In any event there are so few that individuals are numbered.  The last I had read wwas between 30-50 cats in the wild.  You are quite right, yes they do require quite a bit of personal territory, habitat is the principal issue.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Originally posted by Seeker
What's the difference between a cougar and a bob cat? I thought you guys used both names for the same animal?

Bobcats are much smaller, spotted, with larger ears and no tail to speak of, which is why they are called "Bob" cats.



Cougars, Puma, Mountain Lions, etc. (all names for the same thing) are truly "big cats" in the style of Leopards, Cheetahs, Panthers, etc.  

[StarOfAfrica2]

Originally posted by majic
Apparently, they are getting back into Illinois now, too, but I have never seen one.  Worst I've seen is coyotes.

Do they even go out on the plains or would they stay around river valleys and other hilly terrain?

There was one hit by a car south of Quincy (I believe in Pike county) not too long ago.  Young male.  After being weaned the males generally wander off to establish their own territory.  They figure the cats are using the many forested streambeds in the Missouri River Valley to get around.  I cant really see them establishing that far north in Illinois, but you go south from there into the Shawnee Natl. Forest and on down all the way to Cairo it gets really hilly and heavily forested.  Plus, I dont know what the Illinois conservation dept is doing recently, but when I lived there they had pretty much shut down horseback riding AND ATV use in the Natl. forest.  I can think of thousands of square miles of land there where Cougars would be happy and have plenty of food, without much chance of seeing a human if they didnt want to.  My brother and his buddies go hunting down by Golconda every year, and thats perfect Cougar country.  Pretty much anything in "Little Egypt" is good ground for them.

[Seeker]

Thanks.

There's bob cats in Spain; but I don't think  we have puma/cougars in Europe.

[DREDIOCK]

I never saw one in the wild but I remember once when visiting my uncle in West Va we took my kid sister to a..well I dont know if you can really call it a "zoo" cause it wasnt like a regular zoo. it was more like a farm that also had some caged animals.

Anyways. in one area they had a large cage with cougar in it surrounding the cage was a large penned in area containing about 10-15 deer.
Man I remember seeing that cat pacing back and forth in the cage just starring at those deer.

Talk about animal cruelty LMAO

[Jayclark]

Where I live you will see one at least once a year. Thats if your a hunter or a hiker like I am.  I have never seen one crossing a road or around houses or anything.

[NUKE]

Originally posted by Jayclark
Where I live you will see one at least once a year. Thats if your a hunter or a hiker like I am.  I have never seen one crossing a road or around houses or anything.

My boss has some land near Strawberry Arizona....just a lot. His buddy has a house next door.

For the past year and a half, they have had this cougar roaming around the backyard.....recently it came under the porch of the house and was screaming and causing a ruckus.

They think it came up on their back porch and nearly killed their dog a few months back. They didn't notice the dog was hurt at first, but then found that it was flayed open. The vet said it looked like it could have been a cougar.

That's the kind of cat that is very dangerous....there are kids in the neighborhood.

[United]

We have a cougar or two up here on the farm.  Thankfully, they havent caused any trouble... yet.  I've always got my deer gun ready to go if I ever spot one of em.  A cougar is the LAST thing I want to see on the land.

Bobcats, on the other hand, are everywhere.  Its a rare occasion that I don't see one at least once a week.

[lasersailor184]

Ironically, being in a wooded area of SE PA, I saw a bunch of cougars (or one cougar a bunch of times), yet I've never seen a bobcat.

[lasersailor184]

How can we forget this Fabled Mountain Lion?



It is most commonly seen at Homegames in Central PA.



It is worshipped like a god to many smart people.

Sometimes, it has the ability to fly...



It always takes good care of it's young.