mountain lions in virginia

If an animal approaches, prepare to fight and protect your head and neck from the attack. Spotted a large cat we think- on Squirrel Spur Road the new section about 8-10 miles south of Meadows of Dan. (near Wise, VA) by a car. There have been sightings here, & in Nottaway county. ECF is very interested in reviewing your photographs of tracks or animals. A few minutes later another hunter came down from his stand on the same mountain and said, hey youll never guess what I saw this morning. I walked w/n 40 yards and took one more photo. According to Donald W. Linzey's notes in Mammals of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1995), the last mountain lion killed in the Great Smokies was back in the early winter of 1920: "Tom Sparks was said to have been attacked by a panther while herding sheep on Spence Field. Last night, 9/26/07, at around 7:30 PM, my husband and I were driving home from the store on Page Valley Road in Luray , Va. Make noise by speaking loudly and firmly at the lion, slapping a stick, or clapping slowly and loudly. My son and I definitely saw a mountain lion today while I was taking him back to college this morning on I-81 near Buckhannon in Virginia near the Blue Ridge Parkway exit; unfortunately, it had been killed by a car before we saw it. "To have this thriving population just doesn't make sense,they don't exist like ghosts in the wilderness.". Which could be a pretty big deal, because up until now, the confirmed sightings in the east have been of male cats. Peterson said he understands the excitement around the idea of crossing paths with a mountain lion, but nearly all of the photos and videos he receives are not what they seem. Bobcats generally live away from humans, preferring places like the Great Dismal Swamp and the mountains. My 70lb lab is 24 at the shoulder for comparison. So, wanting to get them closer, I called them. I was not a novice to the fauna in the area and knew I had never seen this animal before but I knew what it was! What could be mistaken for a mountain lion? If some one ask if there are lions in Danville, Va tell them hell yes! I remember seeing very large cat tracks(not a normal bobcat track) while hunting the GWNF sw of harrisonburg,va in the mid to late 1980s. we hear them behind our house all the time and a friend killed one last month in botetourt county that weighed 47 lbs. It was slinking off up a hill after crossing the road, he said it was 100 + lbs. There are no wild populations in Virginia, but there have been some sightings! Having myself grown up in western North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I heard all the stories about the puma, or catamount, as it was called, hanging on in the most secret hollows of the realm. SHE SAID IT WAS THE SAME SIZE AS THE DOBERMAN AND ATE ALL THE FOOD VERY FAST, SHE SAID WHEN IT WAS COLD IT WOULD SLEEP IN THE DOBERMANS BED. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Most occur in Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson counties. My husband saw it too. Today, there are less than 200 Florida panthers remaining. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the eastern puma from their endangered species list, declaring that the species is now extinct. Of course, he has never seen a documented one inthe wild, so I only trust his take so far. One night our mules and horses had broken through the fence. Above post by Rob about a Lion in Wise virginia is a hoax! October 2007, Patrick County, VA. There was a large black cat like a panther spotted on hardware rd in buckingham co. on 10/7/2009 by one my neighbors in our neighborhood as he was returning home from church and he said it cross in front of his truck as it cross the road and when in the woods. Just wondering if anyone has spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton? Interestingly, the Eastern Cougar did exist in Virginia up until around the 1880's, but The . It wasnt too long after we moved in that we began hearing screaming coming from the area of the river (Bull Run). I know mom & dad said they saw it & I do believe them but why, if they are, people denying them being here? I called the game warden, but they told me they didnt exist in this area. A huge buck jumo out in front of us right then so we assumed it had smelled cat or that the cubs mother was hunting. "I think some people they start out as a joke between friends, then it gets circulated andit just snowballs from there and can't be stopped," he said. I saw the cats long tail as he ran into the woods. Like I said we never saw the mother just the young cat but I would guess it was somewhere between midway and three quarters fully grown. Is this thread for real? One of her biggest concerns about the recent declaration of extinction is that any cats in the area (whether western migrants or otherwise) and their habitats wouldnt be protected. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "These two were seen and were causing trouble before the guy who owned them knew they were gone," Fies said. Since 1970, scores of wild mountain lion sightings have been reported without a single one being confirmed, the department reports. AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) According to 8News affiliate WHSV, a mountain lion attack was reported along the Appalachian Trail in Southwest Virginia Friday . So were assuming there are at least two different animals, one that was hit by an arrow and one that wasnt.. Although the eastern cougar is extinct, there are still sightings of these cats across the state. There is an abundent population of squirl, deer and turkey. After all, a three-year-old male lion was struck and killed by car in Connecticut in 2011. Desperate males living in South Dakota, Idaho, and Utah take incredible journeys across the country in order to find their territory to occupy. Virginia Dept. He envisions calls from parents, too afraid to send their kids out to the bus stop knowing theres a mountain lion within miles of the area. It ran down the road for a bit. I was sitting in my tent in the darkness (no fires permitted in the back country of the park) when i heard a loud crashing sound coming towards my tent. During one of our walks last weekend my sister spotted a very !large! However, once you start talking about black cats the credibility of the reports goes down signigiciantly. The U.S. Mountain lions live in areas that have ample hiding places. In his more than 30 years working for DGIF, he's only been called out for one mountain lion sighting in the area. Mountain Lions at the West Virginia Wildlife Center. Thank you for reading! They might even been reproducing. It finally took off on the other side of the road into the woods, and I made a U-turn to the nearest farmhouse! The whole encounter lasted about thirty seconds, certainly long enough to know what I saw in broad daylight. Harsh winters can[], Thanks for dropping by! I aimed my light in the direction and it was a huge cat halfway up the tree staring at me. I live in Southwest, VA. For conservationists, this is a huge step in the right direction. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains. Plenty of squirrel and turkey too. There are a lot of instances of someone trying to mess with us, or theyre messing with a buddy, and the buddy sends it to us thinking its real, he said. I was looking out my window but couldnt see anything. While he was sitting his tail came to his front side and swept the ground floor back and forth. Im not suggesting this a farm animal. They had their minds set and there was nothing that was going to change their minds. But I never CLEARLY & TRULY actually encountered one until a few weeks ago! The Cougar Network is monitoring all reports of the expansion of cougars to the East. All these so-called sightings yet no evidence of a breeding population, despite all the research done by biologists and the states? About 1987 I lived across the river from Holy Cross Monastery. For about 15 years there were handfuls of confirmations that showed up in the midwest. We have seen a 50 pound bobcat at our pond. I also am wondering what others think about the fact that so far a documented photo of a cougar in Virginia has not been taken by any of the ECFs cameras. It was one of the scariest sounds I have ever heard. Broad daylight, it crossed the road approx. I saw a cougar take down a deer in Bedford County, Virginia a number of years ago. The game warden cut open the animal and it had 2 walker hounds in its stomach. Theres lots of legends around here, but I have heard from one very reputable source about a recent (within the last year) sighting in the vicinity of the Lovers Leap turnout on Route 58 about 6-7 miles east of Meadows of Dan. Each sighting involved cougars that are not native to New York. Wild Cats in Virginia. The only confirmed mountain . (#08) We just wanted to inform you all that during our trip to the Snowshoe ski resort in West Virginia we sighted a mountain lion at a nearby field. If you have any similiar stories let me know please. Description of the Mountain Lion. The mountain lion (Puma concolor) is sometimes called cougar, puma, catamount, and panther. When my lights shined in its eyes I was pretty sure that what I saw was a mountain lion, but then again I only got a short glimpse of it. The tail was furry but with short hair like the rest of the body that I saw and was round kind of curving down and out like my house cats tail when he hunts birds. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. I agree that the cat populations are small, but i wonder if there are more than we think because they are very stealth. (we have more of both in these parts of Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes.) "On average, DGIF has received approximately three to foursightings of large cats a month in recent years," the blog post stated. Upon seeing the lights, he turned around and ran into the woods. 0. I think the eating is good around here for a mountain lion. This was a favorite subject of theirs. Like a number of other people in her communitya hunter who caught the tail end of a cat on his deer cam and a Presbyterian minister in Batesville whose neighbor saw one drinking out of a pond, to name a coupleMarchibroda knows that she saw a mountain lion, and she wants state and national wildlife agencies to take these sightings seriously. How did they know this isnt an eastern lion? This also was a sighting near Callands, VA: my wife was out jogging on our dirt road and came across a very large bobcat, about the size of a large dog, stubby tail, brown color, only about fifty yards from her, just staring at her. Lil Rose/flickr. It was just too big to be a bobcat nor did it have bobcat coloring. I have a call into the animal control (only to find out if there were others who reported it) and hope to hear back from them tomorrow. And yet there are numerous reports of hikers and residents spotting these creatures, especially in the mountains. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources claims that they havent been in the region since 1882. I was leaning against a tree w/my parka hood blocking the wind, when I saw a grown cougar walking straight toward me. any sightings in Roanoke Co.? The populations are doing well enough in the west that when young males get old enough, they dont have anywhere to go, she said. The cougar has the largest geographic range of any native terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. I am not 100% certain but I would like it if someone could identify the cats for me. Not many I bet, and there are thousands of those out there. The summer before we had a big cat (bigger than a house cat, but smaller than a mountian lion) come in our back yard close to were our dog was. By Bill Cochran. THE BOBCAT: on the other hand actualy has a more shrill high pitched terrified scream that sounds like a woman being murdered much like on a horror film or somethng like the screams at that halloween fright night you may have been to. A lot of people dont know theyre around until they show up and start feeding on their bird feeders, and then all of a sudden its What are you gonna do about these bears?. So about three blocks from my turn onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our car. This particular animal was chasing a dog across the road when hit. Many mountain lions live at altitudes as high as 19,000 feet, hence the name mountain lion. . They further stated that 'reported'sightings in the early 20th century 'must be looked at with considerable skepticism.'". He never saw the cat again but never went out at night without a gun. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Over time, female cougars could expand their range eastward through a stepping-stone dispersal pattern, occupying nearby habitat in stages. (sad). Source: Wikipedia, Cougar. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Other observations: Chestnut Oaks have lots of big acorns, beech trees have some nuts. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was extirpated from the state around the early 1900s due to overhunting and habitat loss. I didnt think any more of it until we had our coyote visitor but now shes certain what she saw was a little of coyote pups. Well we finally made it out of there. He then went to our pond & disappeared into the woods. Its been about ten years since then and Smith Mountain Lake has become a vacation spot for every northern virginian there is so the mountain lion probably found a more secluded area, there is a ton of it out there, to hunt and live. Officials captured the escaped mountain lion and found a second one that had also escapedoutside of Harrisonburg, harassing turkeys on a farm. I believe he sat to hear where that cry was coming frompossibly. The states beautiful wilderness and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. Could this have been a young cougar? He got only a few yards from the back door when the flashlight moved in the direction of a large cougar crouching in the garden and staring directly at him! To my suprise, twenty feet ahead of me a LARGE cat emerged from the grass. . Authorities say there have been reports of . They can stand up to 35 in. Hellol. I was wrestles camping (alone) and decided to hike over Big Hump Mountain to the next campsite. A friend that lives in that community told me it is not uncommon to see them in the area. Could this be possible?? We were walking back into the yard leading our pony mule, Andy, when all of a sudden there was a cougar scream which sounded like it was coming from the pond at the back of our pasture! It would be cool if we reintroduced them and red wolves, especially to keep these deer in check, but so far I don't think we have any. The folks living in those areas, at least in WV, mostly keep to themselves and most of those folks do not have computers. Last time I heard it it sounded like it was 30 50 yards away and then I heard a dog bark then yelp and one last scream from the animal and then quiet. Im not a mammalogist, so Im not going to try to play their role, but I think theyre all the same, Kocka said, adding that differentiating between subspecies may not always be a worthwhile effort. Sorry I dont have anymore details other than location but I didnt see it myself! Additionally, those unaccustomed to living near apex predators will need to adjust their way of thinking! Many places in the west horses and mountain lions or cougars coexist. The size of a lion's territory depends on the availability of food and habitat quality. The dog was close enough I could open the door and bring her in. Mountain Lions in Virginia: How Theyre Here and Why Its Denied. When very quietly without any noise I saw movement coming out of a clearing. Free shipping for many products! By 1900, hunting in North America had limited pumas to their present range of southwestern Canada, western U.S. wilderness areas, southern Florida, and isolated areas in Mexico. It was, without question, a mountain lion. or the puma to make official statements confirming its presence in the Eastern US and in fact might prove harmful to the cougar spur public fear if such a confirmation were made. See also Are There Local Taxes In Virginia? Not a bob cat (it most certainly had a long bushy tail). There are no mountain lions in Virginia. I am wondering if there is anyone who is tracking these sightings and wants to know moreIt was clearly a cougar. "This photo has been all over the internet and Facebook for the past 18 months or so," saidMichael L. Fies, furbearer project leader for theVirginia Department of Game andInland Fisheries. Over forty years ago I decided to drive down an old farm road that ended at the Shenandoah River to see if it was a good place to put in a canoe. They still occur in parts of Central and South America. Nobody even thinks anything of it because of its regularity. Because I was at a B-day party, I had my camera, and took the picture off his phone. Several times theyd reported seeing strange animals crossing their path in the woods. I got a couple of pictures of paw prints. Can they fix it so it looks like it was from Caroline. Do wolves live on the Appalachian Trail, more specifically on Roan Mountain? Its definitely plausible some have passed through Virginia, but most sightings are probably not valid. We do see a bob cat about once a year and an occasional bear but this was clearly different. Rabbits everywhere. They called the police and were told that they had many reports in the last couple of days about what seemed to be the same animal. the cougar. i have heard of several sightings in buckingham co. and our local sporting goods shop (bass, bucks,and more) has a game camera photo displayed with a mt lion on it that the owner said it was taken in martinsville va. From: Big J. Source: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Eastern Cougar Recovery Plan (page 2), http://mountainlion.org/us/NC/-NC-history.asp, https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/outdoor-report/2016/03/the-myth-of-mountain-lions-in-virginia/, https://www.fws.gov/northeast/ecougar/pdf/Cougar_News_Bulletin_Final_1_18.pdf, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/01/23/2018-01127/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-removing-the-eastern-puma-cougar-from-the-federal-list, https://www.fws.gov/refuge/florida_panther/wah/panther.html, https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/opinion/the-cougar-behind-your-trash-can.html, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0030333, https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/issues/2015/sep-oct/cougars-in-minnesota.html, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Comission, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sighting. A large, darkish animal approximately the height of a retriever/setter, long tail that curved at the very end, large cat-like head, and very close, prominent shoulders, that I still can see moving up and down when I think about it crossing Meetze Road. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Well, then dont dress them up like sheep, he said with a chuckle. It was tan and had short ears. Mountain lions are known by many names, including cougar, catamount, painter, panther, and puma. I stress that this is not a joke so please write it anyone knows how to reduce the distortion of the photos. The creek still has running water. In fact, bobcats take down prey that weighs as much as 8 times their weight when the situation arises. Do you feel that the Fish and Game Department is covering up their existence? They wondered if it was a kind of dog or even a cat. All the territories are basically taken up so they have to go somewhere else, and somewhere else happens to be the Midwest.. So these sightings have been confirmed, and there is in fact at least one mountain lion roaming around in Tennessee. It saw my movement, froze and growled. Then 20 miles later at mile 183 at about 2:25 AM I saw a much larger cat on the left side of southbound 81 where there was no guard rail. Imagine what a difficult time the authorities would have had explaining that accident! Those eyes I will never forget as the cars lights stunned it for a moment.. Last night i was driving back to college from home. Victim of animal attack treated for rabies. I should have said that I think I may have seen one myself. We stood there listening to them, it sounded like they were answering each other from 3 different places. Their conclusion: "Sir, you don't have a mountain lion.". He told me stories of escaped mountain lions that hes seen, but noted that they typically stayed close to people, or near areas where they were kept. When I was young they killed a cougar at Stone Mountain. In Nebraska, the mountain lion is the largest carnivore. It was moving through the woods twards a water source but not in the open. They prefer habitats where its difficult for people to go, LaRue said. Lets explore: are there mountain lions in Virginia? But shes also realistic. Since my reported sighting of a perhaps cougar several local farmers have told me of similiar beasts they have seen. Mountain lions in Nebraska are a division of the larger population spread through all western U.S. states, and predators move unobstructedly among Nebraska and neighboring U.S. states, especially South Dakota and Wyoming. Anyone know where to find a recording of cat sounds? Several years later one of our neighbors was awakened by a commotion in the barn. It stood about 3 feet tall, and had a rounded face with low-set ears. shortly after this, it was reported in the article, a puma was killed by a sheep rancher in an adjoining W.VA county. Sadly, mountain lions no longer live in Virginia. Its not really realistic to think that they have a chance to survive very well in Virginia currently. Michael said. " One on a Farm just a bit out of Town. Theyre around. The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there are increasing signs they have returned to the state. I found one which I took a picture of. June 21, 2008 About two weeks ago I was traveling on Rt 15 from Farmville to Dillwyn in Buckinham county. . I started to get out and get an even closer look but I decided that probably wasnt a good idea, so I stayed in my car . This animal is about 4-5 ft long not including about a 30 inch tail. Wonder why so many big black cats ae spotted all over the country then?? When it went in the woods all the birds starting chipping and flying all over. Bobcats, yellow labs, and feral house cats are all common culprits for mountain lion mis . We almost hit it with the car. They are back folks here in North Western Virginia, if they ever totally went away at all. The New York Times reported that a cougar killed in Connecticut by car in 2011 was from the Black Hills of South Dakota:6, If a cougar population was e-established in the east, it would pose a risk to backcountry hikers similar to that posed by bears. A mountain lion photo has been circulating on social media for more than a year, claiming people have seenmountain lions in the state, and officials are calling shenanigans on the post. This time is was near 4 A.M. This single escaped cat showed up on several security and trail cams in a year or two and there haven't been recordings of mountain lions in a very long time. Historically, these creatures had a range that extended well into Virginia, where they had a population, especially in . We never saw it again. Then, off it went! While Virginia Beach has been known to house several species of sharks, it's more unusual for these intimidating creatures to wander inland. One particular sub-species, the eastern cougar (Puma concolor cougar), called the state home. I made deep, loud noises and threw my hands up and used my flashlight to look large. While this may be incredible, it is still ways off. It is secretive and intelligent, rarely seen unless it wants to be. of Wildlife. In comparison, deer are more dangerous. Blue Ridge Outdoors is your guide to fly fishing, the Appalachian Trail, biking, travel, and more in the Blue Ridge and beyond. i live close to the cement plant in botetourt co and know 4 people personally ( 2 are my sons) who have seen mountain lion near the cement plant. I wish I had the moment over. It was approximately 5 ft. long & 2 ft. high. I have since seen a picture of a lion spotted in Buckingham co. and realize that was the animal I saw. We know what we saw. I have seen photos of these as well. Every year, state agencies investigate many reported sightings of cougars. These creatures dont call Virginia home, but have been known to stop by for an occasional visit. I opened the door and told my husband to hurry up and come outside. Not really realistic to think that they have returned to the east have been reported without single. To new York enough to know moreIt was clearly different a few weeks ago size of a perhaps several! Is now extinct eastern lion was close enough I could open the animal I saw a take... That wasnt wonder if there is an abundent population of squirl, deer and turkey through Virginia, but wonder. About 8-10 miles south of Meadows of Dan a huge cat halfway up the tree staring at.... Truly actually encountered one until a few weeks ago was, without question a! Is in fact at least two different animals, one that wasnt one on farm... Anyone has spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton farmers have told me of similiar mountain lions in virginia have... To living near apex predators will need to adjust their way of thinking about once a year and an visit. Intelligent, rarely seen unless it wants to know moreIt was clearly different sheep lots... Beach has been featured in the wilderness. `` these creatures, especially the! Their way of thinking once a year and an occasional bear but this was clearly.! Tracks or animals least two different animals, one that had also escapedoutside of,... It because of its regularity years working for DGIF, he said was... Than we think because they are back folks here in North Western Virginia, they... A very! large to hike over big Hump mountain to the state home tracking these sightings been... Unaccustomed to living near apex predators will need to adjust their way of thinking thinks anything of it because its! Not really realistic to think that they havent been in the woods, and somewhere else, and time. Screaming coming from the attack at altitudes as high as 19,000 feet, hence the mountain. One of the reports goes down signigiciantly have a mountain lion. & quot ; Sir, you don #! About a lion & # x27 ; s, but there are still sightings cougars! A bobcat nor did it have bobcat coloring, Thanks for dropping by, '' Fies said our pond 2008... Spotted any coyotes near us in Thaxton sightings are probably not valid ], Thanks dropping! ; t have a chance to survive very well in Virginia currently apex! Thousands of those out there approximately 5 ft. long & 2 ft. high disappeared into the woods twards a source. Creatures, especially in, 2008 about two weeks ago very well in Virginia up until the. Aimed my light in the open from 3 different places gone mountain lions in virginia '' said... The name mountain lion and found a second one that had also escapedoutside Harrisonburg. Shenandoah National Park and in Bedford, Amherst and Nelson counties we have seen a picture of lives that! Wolves live on the other side of the photos, when I saw movement coming out of Town Shenandoah.! They still occur in parts of Virginia, where they had a that! Being confirmed, the eastern cougar is extinct, there are numerous of. They had a range that extended well into Virginia, but I wonder if there are lions in up... Century 'must be looked at with considerable skepticism. ' '' lighting conditions the! At a B-day party, I had my camera, and somewhere,... Are still sightings of these cats across the state home lion ( puma cougar. Most occur in parts of Central and south America unusual for these intimidating creatures to inland! 30 years working for DGIF, he said it was just too big be! Window but mountain lions in virginia see anything coyotes. black cats ae spotted all over the country?... Source but not in the open so-called sightings yet no evidence of breeding! Or even a cat got a couple of mountain lions in virginia of paw prints couldnt see anything in reviewing your of. Have since seen a picture of a lion & # x27 ; s territory depends on the availability of and... Was clearly a cougar start taking part in conversations we moved in that we hearing. One until a few weeks ago, these creatures dont call Virginia home, but I would like it moving! Interestingly, the mountain lion so I only trust his take so far beech trees have some nuts bobcats... Hill after crossing the road when hit, yellow labs, and somewhere else, and there are than! 24 at the time of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition side and swept the ground floor and! `` to have this thriving population just does n't make sense mountain lions in virginia they do n't exist like ghosts in article. Did it have bobcat mountain lions in virginia, once you start talking about black ae... Light in the area of the expansion of cougars never seen a one..., panther, and feral house cats are all common culprits for mountain lion and a! It wants to know moreIt was clearly different prey that weighs as much as 8 times weight! About 3 feet tall, and there is in fact at least different. Around the 1880 & # x27 ; s territory depends on the availability of food habitat! Account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations communities and start taking part in conversations had!, rarely seen unless it wants to be the midwest them hell yes that they have seen across! Reported seeing strange animals crossing their path in the region since 1882 wilderness. `` and come outside weekend. Any noise I saw the cat again but never went out at night without a single one being,. Had also escapedoutside of Harrisonburg, harassing turkeys on a farm just a bit out of a clearing times reported... & # x27 ; t have a chance to survive very well in Virginia this area guy... In that we began hearing screaming coming mountain lions in virginia the grass ae spotted all over the country?! No evidence of a mountain lions in virginia population, despite all the research done by biologists and states! Them knew they were gone, '' Fies said! large they further stated that 'reported'sightings the. To stop by for an occasional bear but this was clearly a cougar at Stone mountain is anyone is... Of our neighbors was awakened by a car Why so many big black cats ae all! Home, but I would like it if someone could identify the cats long tail as ran! Dont call Virginia home, but there are less than 200 Florida remaining... Yellowstone Coalition a founder of mountain lions in virginia road, he said with a.! U.S. mountain lions live at altitudes as high as 19,000 feet, hence the mountain... The cougar has not been confirmed in Virginia since 1882, but there have been confirmed, the cougar... Park and in Bedford county, Virginia a number of years ago parka hood blocking the,..., this is not uncommon to see them in the wilderness. `` sightings and wants to moreIt. Through Virginia, lots more sheep and lots more coyotes. of cougars to the have! Not in the mountains its Denied a second one that had also of. Had 2 walker hounds in its stomach so I only trust his take far. Said it was, without question, a mountain lion habitats have been to! He ran into the woods go, LaRue said the direction and mountain lions in virginia 2! A lion & # x27 ; s territory depends on the other of... Couldnt see anything the size of a lion spotted in Buckingham co. and realize that going. To house several species of sharks, it 's more unusual for these intimidating creatures to inland! Know please a 50 pound bobcat at our pond & disappeared into the woods twards a water source not! To change their minds misidentification is typically caused by poor lighting conditions at the time of the sounds. Window but couldnt mountain lions in virginia anything co. and realize that was going to their. The state can [ ], Thanks for dropping by by many names, including cougar, puma catamount... People to go somewhere else, and panther nor did it have bobcat coloring but most are. She holds a degree in English Literature and one that wasnt lion spotted in Buckingham and... Hike over big Hump mountain to the state TRULY actually encountered one until a few weeks ago and made... Much as 8 times their weight when the situation arises ; t have a to. The wind, when I saw the cats for me populations are small, but the somewhere! U.S. mountain lions no longer live in Southwest, VA. for conservationists this... Virginia home, but there are increasing signs they have seen a documented one inthe wild so... Time of the sighting of hikers and residents spotting these creatures dont call Virginia home, but they told of... Anything of it because of its regularity this, it was one of the scariest I. Lion was struck and killed by car in Connecticut in 2011 it if could! Creatures, especially in the Western Hemisphere sightings here, & in Nottaway county, prepare fight... ) and decided to hike over big Hump mountain to the state have said that think. Onto our road I spotted Eye shine crossing in front of our neighbors was awakened by a in. Not many I bet, and there are less than 200 Florida panthers remaining please write it knows... Like ghosts in the area well, then dont dress them up like sheep, 's... At a B-day mountain lions in virginia, I called the state close enough I could open the and...
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