Sep182009
A mountain lion in New Hampshire! (Probably not a wild one, though)
Filed under wildlife by david brooks at 2:46 pm
Mountain lion - but not the one in New Hampshire
UPDATE: Lots and lots of discussion at the Views From the Top discussion forums, frequented by New England hikers. In general, many people think there are some mountain lions living in the Northeast, although a sizeable minority thinks that the sightings are a combination of bobcats and/or coyotes, combined with overexcited imaginations.
ANOTHER UPDATE: One of the few large-animal veterinarians in southern New Hampshire says an attack on a calf in the Monadnock region was done either by a bear or a mountain lion, which he believes may be around here. Article here in the Milford Cabinet weekly.
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There have been unsubstantiated reports for years that mountain lions live in the White Mountains or further north in New Hampshire. Today, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department today reported that one of its staff members, following up on a routine report of a mountain lion sighting, saw what is believed to be a mountain lion in a rural area of Barnstead, well south of the Whites (it’s northeast of Concord).
Before we get excited about the spread of this way-cool predator, however, note the department’s disclaimer from the press release:
Mountain lions are known to exist in the wild in states no closer than Iowa and Florida, so it is not thought to be a dispersing wild animal, but rather is most likely an illegally released pet. “Survival of this type of animal is typically extremely low as they normally do not have the developed abilities to catch prey on a consistent basis, and/or may have been de-clawed,” said Fish and Game Wildlife Division Chief Steve Weber. “If the animal does survive, we would expect to collect hard evidence of its existence in the form of a picture, tracks, scat and/or DNA evidence.”
Mountain lions were extirpated from their range in the Eastern United States by the late 1800s, with the exception of the endangered Florida panther. According to the nonprofit research organization cougarnet.org, there have been four confirmed reports of mountain lions in the Northeastern U.S. since 1938.
“The Fish and Game Department receives numerous reports of mountain lions every year,” said Weber. “We still have no documentation to confirm their presence. While we do not believe this is a harbinger of a recovering population of mountain lions in New Hampshire, it does add one more credible report to several others we have received over the years.”
September 19th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Actually while this may be a “way-cool” predator, and it is, it is probably the one I least want to meet while in the woods. (Second only to a human.) This is the one that is not going to just walk away. Gorgeous, smart, athletic, definately way-cool, but probably the only justification for “packin'” in the western national parks.
September 20th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
About 8 years ago I was working in Contoocook and driving up Route 89 around 6:00 every morning. This one morning in the early fall I was at the point on 89 just before the Turkey Pond bridge when two mountain lions, one larger than the other, bounded accross the highway from south to north and disappeared in the woods. I call Fish and Game but they gave me the usual irritating comment that “you must have seen a large cat or a bobcat”. But anyone who has seen a mountain lion there is no damn way you're going to mistake anything else for them. For one thing the color is unique and there is nothing even close to it in NH. It only took those two cats 7 or 8 bounds to clear the entire distance across the highway including jumping the obstruction fence in the middle of the divider. I have set next to a “tame” cougar and even scratched her head so I can recognize one when I see one.
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:23 am
I needed this info thanks mate
Regards
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September 22nd, 2009 at 5:26 am
I needed this info thanks mate
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October 24th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I've created a blog, nhmountainlion.wordpress.com, as a place for people to post reports about sightings. I'll try to follow up on those in the greater Monadnock area, and provide information on what I find. JR
November 11th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Wow - imagine seeing this on an early morning walk!
Frank @ Secured Loans
December 4th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
It's true that mountain lions are one of the most beautiful predators in the world. I would hate to have to deal with one, even if my life depended on it.
December 11th, 2009 at 11:58 am
It is most beautify full lion what i ever seen. Thanks for sharing.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:15 am
I wanted to say thank you for the way you write your blog and prvide your readers with interesting and useful info. I always find here something I really need and may use in my work and/or everyday life.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:11 am
We need to protect this rare animals. They are very important in balancing our nature.