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. They went back to the truck for buckshot. Big Cat arched his back the way cats do when alarmed, and he bounded into the woods. Coyotes in South Carolina now thats another story. Petersen quotes local nature guide Kathi Livingston, 'I know they say the cougars we see are escaped or released. Where Mountain Lions Live. 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. As opportunistic animals, they tend to eat whatever size-appropriate animal they can find. Take adventure to new heights in the majestic mountain region of the Palmetto State. There was one outside of my son's school once and all the kids saw it. If you have any questions regarding the accuracy of this data, please contact us at [email protected]. More:What's it like standing all day dressed up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at people? (Dr. Thomas B. Horton is a history teacher at Porter-Gaud School. Most sightings are not likely established populations. The thespians were nearly the stars of a Greek tragedy that day. Most people in the eastern U.S. havent ever seen a wild mountain lion or jaguar or leopard, said Butfiloski. This mountain sits near the border of South Carolina and North Carolina. 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. Bobcats, Lynx rufus, one of six cat species native to the United States, can be found in each of the lower 48 states, including all of South Carolina. The bobcat is plentiful in South Carolina but they are very shy and stealthy, and you may live in South Carolina and never actually see one. Find a Local Lions Club. . But the population decreased in the 1900s as wild lands were cleared for agriculture and game hunting increased. July 21, 2017. This one looks almost cute, but that's because it's sleeping. We Inspire. They are shy and do not like people, though they will live near populated areas. It was a little too big to be a bobcat.. 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. 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 . Your Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat. They do have a tail, but it is only about 6 to 8 inches long. In 2003, eight residents from a Mauldin subdivision called police saying theyd seen a large black cat prowling around the woods behind their homes. He points to Florida where, despite a known population of less than 200, several Florida panthers are killed every year by vehicles. He paused on the side of the road. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. If attacked, fight back. talk to a vet online for advice >. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Instead, most cat sightings are likely bobcats. They are found in many different habitats including swamps, mountainous regions, and forests. The lynx, a very close relative, roams Alaska. South Dakota - South Dakota is home to mountain lions. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. If you are already an OutdoorNews.com subscriber, you can log in here. Panther cubs are adorableuntil they grow large enough to eat their owners and become difficult to handle. stands 3,560 feet tall. Instead, Lucas said the majority of sightings are likely misidentification of other animals like bears, coyotes or large dogs. There is another possibility that seems to be increasing in likelihood in recent years. Originally there were 11 subspecies of cougars . 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. Experts are adamant that there are no big cats in South Carolina, which they say can be confirmed because there is no roadkill or dead animals. Several years later, the story of a federal foresters escape from the clutches of a black panther in Oconee County made headlines. Update privacy preferences to allow Google Map. Usually a shy cat, the cougar prefers to stalk its prey and is rarely ever a threat to people. They brought them to South Carolina in 1500. 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. The mountain lion was there hundreds of thousands of years before you . But some residents, including Koehler, are already taking precautions. The last confirmed sighting of the subspecies, "once the most widely roaming mammal in the New World" according to the federal government, was in 1938. Hence, there was no Eastern puma/cougar to go extinct in the first place. 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). Its a chick magnet, its a cool thing, Chastain said. Hepper.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Currently, experts are adamant that there is no known mountain lion population in South Carolina. South Carolina is no stranger to dangerous wildlife. Pee Dee Wildlife Control Inc. 2019 All Rights Reserved. Have you spotted any of the above in an out-of-place spot in the Palmetto State! Or could it? However, they may also consume fish, birds, and squirrels, and some have even been seen eating insects. Similar to Tennessee's wild elk and buffalo, the cougar was extirpated from the state around the early 1900s due to overhunting and . Most, if not all, wildlife experts and authorities believe black panther sightings are a result of misidentification. However, they werent able to provide evidence of the encounter. At full size, males are an unmissable 6-to-8-feet long and can weigh 150 pounds, say state officials. 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. The largest cat native to the eastern US, adults can exceed 8 ft in total length (including their tail) and 200 lbs. Despite this, S.C. Department of Natural Resources spokesman Greg Lucas said the department gets at least one call a month from people claiming to have seen one of the big cats. Some people even claim SCDNR is covering up the presence of mountain lions. Bobby, Brenda and Zack were doing what every child did- they were playing in the woods. And last year, Ben Tanner, a Ladys Island resident, captured video footage of what appears to be a large cat stalking a deer. 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. Greenville and Pickens Counties are among the several counties where sightings have been reported in South Carolina. Some say that the panther is a silent assassin and that he and his mate share their bounty. The eastern cougar historically lived from Maine to South Carolina and from Michigan to Tennessee, the wildlife service said. (With Pictures), The latest veterinarians' answers to questions from our database, How to Help an Abused Dog Recover 8 Tips and Tricks, Lymphadenopathy in Cats: Signs, Causes & Care. Foolishly, they threw a dried piece of beef to the hungry carnivores. Theres just no scientific documentation to back that up.. Now there are less than 100 panthers surviving in the swamps of South Florida. They are a native species in South Carolina. Then, rather than establish a territory like they would in the West where they are far more numerous, they adopt "a vagabond strategy and roam an area of hundreds of square miles, Chastain said. They were once major factors in the ecosystems of our South Carolina forests and coastal swamps where adults killed deer and other large prey items (wild hogs, raccoons, woodland buffalo, etc). When you see the name "panther" "painter", "catamount" and other cougar synonyms attached to creeks, mountain peaks, gaps, and other features of our topography, it is a testament to the fact that this large predator was not only once here in South Carolina and the eastern US, but that its presence impressed people enough to name a place after it. Visit his Web site at www.historyslostmoments.com. Nikolay Kapustin, deputy zoo administrator and veterinarian at the Greenville Zoo, said the prints, which measure 2.5 inches long, are likely coyote tracks. the Service is seeking information on the status of the eastern cougar in the 21 states from Maine to South Carolina and west from Michigan to Tennessee where the Endangered Species . . There haven't been any cougars in Tennessee since the early 1900s. The Mountain Lion will return to feed on the prey for up to 10 days. In 2007, a contract security officer called the universitys police department after he spotted what he thought looked like a mountain lion near the Calhoun Mansion. Andrew Moore of the Greenville Journal pens a story about alleged mountain lion sightings in South Carolina. The big cat was captured after roaming free for two days. Charles Koehler, a Travelers Rest resident,was working in his garden last month when he heard a series of loud screams coming from the woods behind his house. They are normally found in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. She currently resides in Tennessee with four dogs, three cats, two fish, and a lizard, though she has dreams of owning chickens one-day! I actually drove out to the apartment and noticed some large tracks in the mud, said Jenkins, who didnt take photos of the tracks or file an official report. Jaguars, which are primarily found in South America, have established a small population in Mexico and occasionally cross over into Arizona or New Mexico, according to Perry. A distinctive feature is their 30-inch long tail (so different from our native and still abundant bobcat, which has a very short tail). A responder adds, 'The DNR swears up and down there are no mountain lions left in SC. Use anything at your disposal: a stick, rock, or better yet, bear spray. Big Cat Confusion Part of the confusion about the mysterious panther in South Carolina is that scientists now believe it is the same animal as the mountain lion that still thrives in the western area of the country and Rocky Mountains. 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. Even thought they're . Their bobbed tail is one of their most distinguishing features. The one potential South Carolina mountain lion, the eastern cougar, was declared extinct in 2011. 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. 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. Black Bears. Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Paddling Through The Hidden Wadboo Creek Is A Magical South Carolina Adventure That Will Light Up Your Soul, This Rustic Shack Restaurant In South Carolina Serves Up Heaping Helpings Of Seafood, Open For More Than Half A Century, Dining At Tonys Pizzalicious In South Carolina Is Always A Timeless Experience, Cool Off Under A Waterfall At This South Carolina Hotel, Some Of The Worst Drivers In The Nation Are Found In Three Top Cities In South Carolina According To A New Study, Step Inside A 1790s Ghost Town To See The Rubble That Remains Of Pinckneyville, South Carolina, Sip Wine And Mingle With Ghosts In One Of South Carolinas Oldest, Most Haunted Bars, Most People Dont Know About South Carolinas Deadly Tornado Alley. Fish and Wildlife Service promulgated a new rule last week removing the Eastern puma from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The big cats once roamed the entire Southeast but were decimated by hunting. Florida spent more than $1 million to protect these cougars which also are called panthers, he said. See more columns online at www.moultrienews.com. In fact, the bobcat is the only native wild cat found in South Carolina today. 5 Reasons for This Behavior. Never heard anything like it. There has never been a confirmed or documented case of a melanistic mountain lion in the United States. What was once called the Eastern Cougar and roamed areas throughout the southeastern United States was declared extinct in 2011 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Mountain lions can bound up to 40 feet while running, leap 15 feet up a tree, climb over a 12-foot fence, travel many miles at 10 mph, and reach speeds of 50 mph in a sprint. The primary food source for a mountain lion would be deer and there is no doubt we have lots of them but so does Georgia and South Carolina. Adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh between . The Rocket Homes Real Estate LLC main office is located at Rocket Homes Real Estate, 701 Griswold St, Suite 21, Detroit, MI 48226. Everyone knows to watch out for alligators and sharks along the coast and for the occasional bear in the mountain, but here are five possibly out-of-place creatures to keep a keen eye out for. Adding more confusion to the situation is the small population of elusive panthers living in the Florida Everglades. According to wildlife expert Ken Burton on the enature website, there are mountain lions in Western NC along the Smoky Mountains. Do not turn your back. Most of their fur is a shade of beige, although some develop a darker . Well, this atleast proves that there are big cats in SC. Furman students are academically challenged and leave Furman as lifelong learners who are changing the communities around them. In big cats, black panthers are actually jaguars or leopards. Sign up for our e-newsletters or subscribe to get our print publications. 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. From Mauldin to McClellanville, folks are coming forward to report their own sightings of the phantom panther. Today the only known reproducing population of cougars in the eastern US occurs in south Florida in the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. Mistaken identities may also occur with the cougar's smaller relative, the bobcat. 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. Theyve been here for thousands of years, Chastain said. What's it like standing all day dressed up like the Statue of Liberty and waving at people? But Chastain believes theyre only different from the Western cougars in that theyre smaller, which is a natural phenomenon among animal species in warmer climates. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. However, as people moved into the area, much of their environment was destroyed. . Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. They are extremely shy and nocturnal for the most part. I stopped the car thirty feet away, and we stared at each other for a few moments. The only established population of wild cats in South Carolina is the bobcat, which is not very large in the least. He said there used to be a den behind the Bowles horse farm before the farm was there. "Since 1890 there have been 19 fatal Mountain Lion attacks in Canada and the United States," Mattson said. Someone will ask why I didn't take a picture to confirm my sighting and the answer is that it all happened so fast -- thirty seconds and the cat vamoosed. The younger, weaker male lions will travel to get away to other areas and establish their own territory. 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. There are approximately 20 recognized geographic races of the cougar throughout its range. The back story on why the myth or truth of the existence of Eastern cougars/pumas is consequential comes from Tennessee. #1 The tail. I think many people just get excited when trail cameras or videos reveal an animal in the woods.. 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). I was shocked when I first saw the prints, because they were so big, said Claes. They are about the same size as most domestic cats, after all. 3. Sassafras Mt. However, bobcats are extremely small, ranging between 1025 pounds. (An Overview), Why Do Cats Eat Plants? Suddenly, the children saw a movement and a mountain lion came walking down the trail . Stay on top of dog food recalls here >, Have a question? See answer (1) Copy. 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. Were here with the info you need to separate fact from fiction. Being nocturnal doesnt help matters, especially since their coat makes them basically impossible to see at night. More likely these sightings are dogs, bears or even house cats.. Yet, something occurred yesterday on an upstate highway that has inspired me to postpone the column that I had planned for this week. Don't underestimate the power and unpredictable nature of a feral hog! The responding officers later spotted the animal near Earle and Daniel halls, according to reports. South Carolina has two populations of black bears. 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. |, Presented by TD Bank, TD SYNNEX & The YMCA, The People and Places That Helped Shape Greenville. Greenville Journal. As we previously stated, these cats are not currently established in the state. This Florida population, once down to about 50 animals, is now thought to be back in excess of 100 animals as a positive result of recovery plans. Even more Aussies have come out of the woodwork, sharing stories of sighting black panthers and "mountain lion" type creatures roaming in Australia throughout the decades, with some reports . However, even this species is not very large. As of right now, there is a 0 recorded population of mountain lions living in New York. The story cites lack of hard evidence for the existence of mountain lions in the stateno carcasses, no trail camera footage, and no actual sightings corroborated by others. Driving along U.S. 341 an hour before sunset near the intersection of Winterhaven Road, one mile east of Kershaw, I saw what appeared to be a very large Tom cat crossing the road. A history of mistaken identity and conspiracies. Simply type the location or club name into the search bar below, and let the service begin! They arent much bigger than a domestic house cat in many cases. While these cats are shy, they will live near humans to grant them access to livestock. Mountain lions, or eastern cougars, once "lived in every Eastern state in a variety of habitats including coastal marshes, mountains and forests," according to the U.S. Listen 3:52. 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