Seeing wildlife is to be expected. All around the United States, we cohabitate with various wildlife. Typically, each state is understanding of the wildlife that is most likely to be seen there. For example, Louisiana knows it will see alligators in their state. Florida knows it will see Burmese pythons. And Alaska knows that it will see grizzly bears.
However, what is unusual is when wildlife is spotted when it’s not supposed to live in a specific region. This is cause for concern for residents because 1) they are not prepared and 2) they need to find out the reason why a specific species is migrating to a new area. We saw this happening in Pennsylvania when a mountain lion sighting was reported to the State Police in Fogelsville.
Rare Mountain Lion Spotted in Pennsylvania
This past weekend, October 15, 2023, a large feline cat was reported being seen in Pennsylvania. Viewers think that this might be a mountain lion. Trooper Branosky reported on X, formally known as Twitter, that the sighting took place in the Lower Macungie Township area on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
USA Today reported that “Pictures of the large cat were shared with Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville.” And that they were able to confirm that it was a possible mountain lion sighting. But, they could not indefinitely say for sure that it was a mountain lion.
“The Pennsylvania Game Commission says on its website that it’s unlikely but not impossible that there are mountain lions in the commonwealth. It cites the high number of roads and hunters and claims the animal would have trouble avoiding detection.”
The agencies involved reported that out of the overwhelming amounts of reports they getting regarding large feline sightings end up being bobcats and not mountain lions.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission states on its website that the mountain lions that have been reported and verified have ended up being exotic pets or show animals.
Where Do Mountain Lions Live?
The mountain lion can weigh as much as 200 pounds.
©Geoffrey Kuchera/Shutterstock.com
Mountain lions (Felis concolor) of the family Felis concolor are feline mammals that reside in Central America, North America, and South America. According to the US Forest Service, “Their usual habitat is steep, rocky canyons or mountainous terrain. Mountain lions can be found in deserts as well as coastal forests, and from sea level to 10,000-foot elevations.”
The mountain lion population is considered to be in the thousands across these areas. Their conservation status is considered to be the least concern. The top 15 states with the most mountain lions are the following: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
