This post has been updated multiple times and remains one of the most popular and probably the most commented on posts.
There have been several articles online about "sightings" of a "large cat." One in Camden County near the Winslow Hammonton border by Route 73 was reported to be a mountain lion. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife sometimes receives evidence and investigates and their verdict has always been that these big cats are NOT mountain lions.
New Jersey's largest cat is officially the bobcat, but these reports to animal control officers are saying this is not a bobcat but a mountain lion (AKA cougar or puma). There is a significant difference between a domestic cat, bobcat and mountain lion and they really shouldn't be confused. The evidence so far is just some grainy video and a fuzzy photograph taken with a hunter's game camera.
According to mountainlion.org, "Before European settlement, mountain lions once occurred throughout New Jersey and moved between New Jersey and neighboring states. Ideal habitat would have occurred in the forests, hills, and along the timbered streams, but mountain lions could have persisted anywhere there was ample prey. Direct persecution, conversion of wildlands to agriculture and human development, roads and highways, and other forms of habitat loss all contributed to the decline and ultimate extirpation of mountain lions in New Jersey."
In other words - No Mountain Lions in NJ. And yet, reports keep coming in. There was a report of one in Ewing Township back in 2018 that inspired the original version of this post. Check the comments on this post below and you'll see that since it was originally posted regular sightings continue to come in.
New Jersey's largest cat is officially the bobcat, but these reports to animal control officers are saying this is not a bobcat but a mountain lion (AKA cougar or puma). There is a significant difference between a domestic cat, bobcat and mountain lion and they really shouldn't be confused. The evidence so far is just some grainy video and a fuzzy photograph taken with a hunter's game camera.
According to mountainlion.org, "Before European settlement, mountain lions once occurred throughout New Jersey and moved between New Jersey and neighboring states. Ideal habitat would have occurred in the forests, hills, and along the timbered streams, but mountain lions could have persisted anywhere there was ample prey. Direct persecution, conversion of wildlands to agriculture and human development, roads and highways, and other forms of habitat loss all contributed to the decline and ultimate extirpation of mountain lions in New Jersey."
In other words - No Mountain Lions in NJ. And yet, reports keep coming in. There was a report of one in Ewing Township back in 2018 that inspired the original version of this post. Check the comments on this post below and you'll see that since it was originally posted regular sightings continue to come in.
We are still waiting for good video footage, physical evidence and confirmation from NJ Fish & Wildlife. For now, the cougar's status in New Jersey is still a few notches below the Jersey Devil.
Bobcats are known to live in New Jersey and are considered endangered by the NJDEP. A bobcat is considered a medium sized-cat, about two feet tall. Though they are larger than a house cat, they are much smaller than a mountain lion. Adult bobcat females in NJ generally weigh between 18 and 25 lbs. and adult males can weigh as much as 35 lbs.
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| Bobcat - Photo: Public Domain, via commons.wikimedia.org |
Bobcats are known to live in New Jersey and are considered endangered by the NJDEP. A bobcat is considered a medium sized-cat, about two feet tall. Though they are larger than a house cat, they are much smaller than a mountain lion. Adult bobcat females in NJ generally weigh between 18 and 25 lbs. and adult males can weigh as much as 35 lbs.
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| A camera trap image of a cougar in Saguaro National Park - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Link |
Mountain lions, which once did live in this area, are believed to have been extirpated long ago. The Eastern cougar or eastern puma (Puma concolor couguar) is the name given to the extirpated cougars that once lived in northeastern North America. They were part of the subspecies of the North American cougar that is considered gone from the east coast by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) evaluation in 2011.
Press Coverage in NJ of Sightings
pressofatlanticcity.com
nj.com/camden
About Reported Cougar Sightings in the East
wsj.com/articles/eastern-mountain-lions-may-be-extinct-but-locals-still-see-them
nationalgeographic.com/
blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/eastern-mountain-lion-mystery/
117 comments:
A few are here but you won't see them. [The gov is an equal opportunity employer of the legally blind and think myopically to begin with, so they are usually the last to know.]
Basically the gov denies everything they do not want the public to react too. you can not say absolutely there are none of a species in a state unless you examined the entire population of animals in the state. Sampling statistics has hundreds of confounders and biases.
True, but I don't think there's a government conspiracy about mountain lions in NJ ;-)
And Then Comes "The Lazarus Effect" Oh we thought they were extinct because we haven't seen one ourselves therefore how can they be...
We were driving in the manalapan, monroe area the other day and I saw something in the brush at dusk that resembled this. It was not a dog or a regular cat. (was too large for that) had the same coloring and no markings on it's short fur. It was not a deer by the way it was "pooping". The sight of it still haunts me as I wish I knew what it was.
Might it have been a bobcat or coyote? Search those on this site and you'll see some NJ samples.
What I am sure of is that it wasn't a dog,cat,deer,coyote,fox,bobcat or anything with spots or stipes . The color was a light tan w/ large hind quarters. It was sitting in a pooping stance and appeared tall. the front paws were at the hind legs. Its head was smaller yet was looking in the opposite direction. My husband believes we were on Texas road the west end side of the road maybe near the old MM hall. on the strip mall side. Is any exotic pet owners or nearby zoo's (great adventure) missing an animal?
4 years ago I arrived home from work and saw a cougar in my driveway in front of the garage. It quickly turned to the side of the house and disappear ed. I have never seen it again. However a flock of over 40 geese that I had on my property for several years rapidly decreased in number till there were no geese left in just 2 weeks. I believe this big cat kept returning at night to get dinner.
I use to live up in Sussex county and I saw one once in the woods, broad daylight. One of the other locals showed us a video of a litter he found in the woods. They're out there.
I know the difference between a bobcat and what I saw in West Milford NJ. Just past the recycle on Lycosky as I was heading towards the center of town on an access road to the left. I slowed down and plain as day, long low body, tawny-ochre colored fur, LONG thick looking tail, incredibly muscular with small head. Not a house cat, not the bobcat I've seen in my back yard. No one would believe me, one of my friends actually said it was probably a young bobcat, bobcat aren't born with long tails and this was MUCH larger than a bobcat.
Gives me the chills to hear of sightings. Ever since my teenaged years.
Here in Rockaway NJ, a number of hunters I know have taped Mtn Lions on trail cams
I LOVE MOUNTAIN LIONS
I saw one in Oakland N.J. about 16 years ago. My house was on the Ramapo River he was huge. I could see him clearly.
This is old news, but it does confirm that there are transient, if not resident, mountain lions in New Jersey. I've been hiking the Jersey portions of the Appalachian Trail and Kittatinny Ridge for 45 years and haven't yet seen one, but I'm still hopeful. / https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mountainlion/mountain-lion-killed-in-connecticut-prowled-east-from-s-dakota-idUSTRE76Q5ZE20110727
I was awakened by the screams of a cat in heat at 0430 in April 2019, Wayne, NJ near the Ramapo River. When I looked out the window I saw a cat that was larger than a yellow labrador retriever walking across the yard and silloeted against my neighbor's SUV. It was tan in color and had a long tail.
A week later I found the remains of a fox. The fur had been sheared off and rested to the side of a small pile of bones that were were picked clean. The bones included jaw bones vertebrae, leg bone and foot. My research has found that lions neatly eat their prey and shear the hair off with their teeth before eating it. For about six weeks the deer and Turkey population seemed non existent. In late June Bucks have returned and have eaten the hosta.
I have since emplaced several game cameras. No additional evidence. Yet.
I saw one last summer in Alexandria Twp.
Large muscular tan / golden cat with long tail black on tip.
I have been to Africa and stayed at a lion refuge.I am sure I saw a mountain lion.We have a large deer population here so there is plenty of food.It was amazing to see this animal .
Saw a Mom and 2 Babies just 2 nights ago...We were exploring a trail in Sussex County at night....The Mom charged at us and we ran..She was super close..Probably 25 Ft or less...The 2 Babies were in a tree..It was amazing!
I have in High Def recording of a Mountain Lion or a Eastern Cougar caught on camera on my property, this just happened yesterday in Riverdale Nj . I notified Fish and Wildlife
There is one on my neighborhood watch ring camera 12/19
Just saw a large, tawny cat out the window of an amtrak in NJ (in the northern part of the state, a few mins after coming out of the tunnel from NY), in the area with large wetlands/grasslands. Wish i had snapped a photo!
I was in East Windsor 2/13/20 Etra Park newer walking path side and a large tan animal about waist high took off very fast stride into the brush.
At 6:45 the grey and black bobcat pictured above was about 8 feet away from my kitchen window watching my husband and I at the kitchen table. He was sitting and I got a close look at his face and large back and when he got up to leave we saw the tail too. It was calm and calculating. I live in Oakland NJ
Prob coyote
Saw a mountain lion standing next to a sign in the town on the NJ side of the Delaware Memorial Bridge,right near the super waw . I know 100 percent what i saw, i saw that long curved tail, before i saw the body. Grew up in Colorado and have lived in Florida and have seen them in both states . Never say no to nature.
So many claims on here of mountain lion videos in NJ yet no legitimate videos exist on the internet. Alot of BS on here.
Anonymous: I believe the claims are misidentification (as I have always stated) but the belief in them and other rare species for our state are real. I report them as education.
That's awesome, can you please upload it to YouTube? I'd love to see it. My dad and I could swear we saw one in high point state park 20 years ago but never got that good of a glimpse of it. But whatever it was certainly wasn't a deer and managed to disappear in the blink of an eye
On more than one occasion coming home from work thru Winslow township a few years ago I have clearly seen the large mountain lion puma .....on Fleming pike between hay street and egg harbor road..... definitely not bobcat......this had long round tail, beige tan color no spots or stripes was size of large dog, nearly hit it one night when crossed in front of my car into the field they use to grow flowers in....as usual the state of NJ will say it isn't so but it is....
There are so many comments that say that they saw a video or photo, yet for some reason each time the NJ DEP asks, no one can come up with one... I would love to know for certain, as I've seen bobcats several times and I can't imagine confusing one with a mountain lion.
Janet T
I totally agree. I have had a few people send me photos or video of sightings of various species but most sightings are just "I saw ____" If you see something, take out that phone and capture it and let us know.
Some people swear a bigfoot like creature lives in NJ too. Sightings go back beyond the 1970s but no photographic evidence. Funny how that works.
I just seen a mountain lion on route 78 west near exit 24 yesterday around 10 am.... It was tan and black like a dear ....
I have tried to see a bobcat in the trails behind pinecrest lake for decades and have never seen one. But in snow you can see all their foot prints, there is massive foot print traffic in the snow. they live in the rocks under the powerlines between macopin and union valley road.
I live in very rural area of Warren County, NJ, and I just had a mountain lion run 10 feet in front of my car as I was driving down my driveway. Absolutely no mistake about it.
How come no one ever gets a photo? We all have phones. It's a mystery just like the mountain lions.
Also sightings are rarely posted with a name and email or way to contact the person.
Animals hide from humans with just cause perhaps - maybe it’s why it’s rare to see animals. Now, the state is going to try and ‘farm’ deer for example. NJ used to have a lot of wild life that it has successfully bumped off due to human encroachment and lack of understanding the value of wildlife diversity. City dwellers rolling into the rural suburban areas and asking animal control to remove the squirrels from property (true story). Sigh. We used to have wood bison and orange parakeets too, among other species. Progress in this day and age is coexisting.
I have a photo of a baby one i saw in hunterton county a few years ago. They are here.
Oppe
It would be helpful to see that photo
What year? My friend killed one by accident in 1989, on route23. Medical, police, etc animal control came out in the middle of the night taking pictures,said nothing and asked my friend to move along.
Mountain lions are ambush predators. You don’t just look outside and see them. They are most definitely here in north jersey as I have seen a handful over the course of 20 years.
I have seen 3 in the 20 years of living in Newfoundland , NJ . Two were in my yard. Which borders Watershed property and one on route 23 at the Oakridge Rd intersection. They are here!
Around my home in Whiting, NJ, I and some neighbors have personally seen these tawny Panthers (name in east and south) up close and scarily personal. Frightening, but not hunting people here as there is plenty of game and deer to eat, unlike those cats in CA up by the Hollywood sign where they are starving and drag riders off dirt bikes. Many sightings in a wide range down here. Also, black ones seen down here, thought to have relocated. Our govt wouldn't admit UFO's were real even though they flew over Truman's White House. Falsely claimed public would panic. There ain't no cure for govt. stupid.
Can confirm I was driving on 70 this past weekend. Passing through whiting and medium build spotted cat ram across the road. I slowed down thinking I’d get a glimpse of a fox until I saw the posture as it was running and the size. I was enamored to see it because I’ve never seen a large cat like that out in the wild. I considered that maybe it was an exotic cat that escaped or a wild one but I’m starting to think that A the population of this animal is much more than we realize or maybe with the pandemic they’ve begun to flourish due to the inactivity on roads and the abundance of deer and small game. Nature does not take very long to begin to reclaim itself.
My brother, who works overnight shifts, told me of his odd encounter two blocks from my house as he was driving home for his lunch break 2 weeks ago. Hadn't thought about it again until tonight, after viewing a video about a NJ bear encounter. I just now asked him to reiterate the details to me and told him I'd report his sighting on this site.
This occurred on Berkshire Road in Fair Lawn, between 29th & 30th streets near the CTC Academy school, aka the Children's Therapy Center. There is a large open field with 2 baseball diamonds on the opposite end of the street and adjacent to that is a small playground/tennis court behind a CVS which is on the main strip- Broadway, that turns into Rt 4 a few blocks down. Not a secluded or woodsy-type area. It was just after 4 AM. He says the animal was walking across the street and headed toward the field/baseball diamonds as he passed by. He could not say the exact color/patterns of fur but noted the pointed ears and lack of a long tail, but says it did have one, but it was rather short, not like a regular cat or dog's tail. The size was not remarkable yet definitely larger than a housecat; about the size of our small Lab mix. He assumed that it was some type of wild/non-domesticated cat, like a bobcat. I just thought it was a "cool" sighting until I began reading about them tonight and where they generally live in NJ. It then seems so improbable that one would be creeping around the neighborhood but we figured we should probably post it and leave it for experts to use or invalidate the info.
Sounds like a bobcat.
I am from Hawthorne New Jersey. My story is in Weird NJ issue #24. I know I didn't see a dog. I wish it was on video but I was 10 and it was 1978. This thing had a cat face as I looked at it from the side and jumped only the way a cat would up onto my front yard which had railroad ties of four foot tall.This animals fur was black.
I too had a “large cat” sighting in Frankfort township NJ. I had thought it was a dog walking down the neighbor’s road but was able to see it with binoculars and this was not a canine. It was a tan color and definitely was a feline with no spots. Unfortunately it disappeared into the brush. This was around noon on a sunny day in October.
Clear as day I passed a dead cougar on 287 by the Delaware water gap in NJ in 2010. It was not a deer it was a massive cat. I wish I didn't see it dead. I also know of a man in north jersey who got one on his trail cam. The Delaware river gets so low at times of course one can cross from ny or pa. Besides there are definitely very few in the wilderness in NJ. They're illusive and can spot us coming long before we would see them
I saw one dead on the side of 287 in 2010 by Delaware water gap. They're here I know what I saw and was going slow in traffic
Because they're fast and not everyone has their phones out camera ready. It's like when you're trying to get a picture of your pet doing something cute and the second you get the camera on they stop I believe these sightings I've seen one too when I was slowly going in traffic in broad daylight on 287 near Delaware water gap. No mistaken what I saw. Clearly a cougar
i live in River Vale, NJ 07675 ... we have mountain lion in the for sure. My neighbor saw it near the baseball field next to watershed protected land. I followed up the next day and photographed the paw prints on the infield sand. The paw prints measured 4-5" and when I researched/matched with online wildlife prints, it totally matched Mountain Lion. Too large for a Bobcat, definetly not Fox, Coyote, or domestic dog. The tracks on the field also show it following and possibly catching a deer (the hoof prints were obvious) ...
any updates or comments folks? i posted about the Cougar in Bergen County 07675 ....
I don't think it's a conspiracy so much they don't want to scare the public.
I saw one dead on the south side of 287 too! I know what I saw but everyone thought I was wrong. It was the long tail that really sealed it for me and the rounded ears and of course the size. It was huge. I wish I hadn't seen it dead. It was so sad. That's the only time I ever saw one in the wild.
And still, not a single photo - alive or dead. Evidence, please.
Why not a conspiracy in NJ… they try to convince people that they’re not in other states but they’re spreading all over the place from out of the Black Hills and are establishing breeding populations around the country!
I believe you
I saw one two days ago by our woods. I thought it was a deer, it was big and tan and I immediately knew it was a bigggg kitty from it walking. My dog on the elevated deck scared it away, a month or two earlier we had seen one very similar that was all black and again a big cat. My family thinks it’s a Bob cat but both were solid in color and too big. Thankfully ours are the shy type.
I believe you also. I’m in Milford now visiting from Florida, and this looks like a place they would thrive with all the wildlife I’ve seen here in just one week.
I 100% saw a mountain lion/cougar cross my path about 300ft in front while driving Old Mine Rd outside Sandyston, NJ in 2017 in early afternoon. It was during driving (likely in spring/early summer) between field sampling sites for work; I was fully alert. Was so big my first reaction was large dog or small lion b/c state claims we don't have them. Solid beige/light tan brown and no markings. Too quick back into the brush to snap a picture and was driving anyhow. Dense forest cover area. Never saw it again on this regular work route. Why can't people imagine how likely it is for these large predators to cross from NY to hunt? They may not necessarily spend a lot of time here or stay to raise young, but they've definitely been seen at least passing through!
Someone just saw a mountain lion on Mt. Bethel Road in Mansfield Township, Warren County on 7/20/22 at 1:30pm carrying a dead cat in its mouth. Here's her FB post about it: Now I know many will scoff at this post and really try to down play it but I’m just letting everyone know that yesterday at approx 1:30pm on Mt. Bethel Rd. Just past janes Chapel Rd, heading towards independence
I had a …. Mountain lion walk across the road in front of my car, carrying its large lunch in its mouth!
Now.. yes I am aware that there is zero proof that we have this cats in NJ but I’m telling you all this was NOT a Bob cat, it was absolutely not a fisher cat either.
This animal was large, smooth tan coat not fluffy, not spotted, it was not stocky or short. It had pointed ears, a tail, and it was carrying what appeared to be a dead cat in its mouth.
I was so in shock I stopped the car in the road
Thank god no one was behind me.. and just sat there completely stunned and in awe.
I did not get a pic either.
I did call fish and wild life… they said they would call me back. I’m doubtful they will.
Again I do not care that people say that we don’t have them here… I know what I saw. We are not supposed to have rattle snakes or coyotes either and we absolutely have them too.
Just be mindful of your kittys and dogs being outside, be safe y’all!
I was walking yesterday around 8:30 am in the Ecological Preserve trails near Rutgers (Highland Park NJ area), and saw some sort of ‘large cat’. It crossed the trail path about 10-15 feet in front of me. It had rounded ears and a long tail that had a black tip. It was the size of a large dog. It disappeared into brush before I could get my phone out or get a closer look at it. I don’t know if it was a bobcat or a mountain lion. I do know it was not a dog (it had distinctly feline features) or a fox or a coyote. It’s possible it was some large exotic cat breed that had escaped. I was in shock by what I saw and remember thinking, that animal is large enough to attack me.
Yup
Thats exactly what I saw.Very muscular and stopped me in my tracks .
7-18-22 Campgaw Mountain / Ski area.
Large tan can with black.tip tail pacing roughly 50ft from rear fence. I live against the mountain and my rear fence is a common walking path for tons of deer to and from the stream and grassy areas. Same place cat was seen by my wife who would laugh at me for making the same claim. Cat ran off after she sounded ring alarms. Paw prints found and pics taken of flattened grass it ran through. Paw prints are double the size of my 120lb Rottweiler.
Also worth noting I haven't picked up a single deer on camera since the sitting. Prior it was a daily and nightly occurrence
I think every time a sighting is reported the government tracks down the cougar and kills it before anyone can find it.
Well about 13 or 15 yrs ago. The state let 250 mountain lions loose near Vernon nj. There was alot of sitings
re: the 8/13/222 comment Absolutely not true. There has never been a cougar released. Between 1978 and 1982 the Division conducted a restoration project through which 24 bobcats were trapped in Maine and released in northern NJ. The bobcat was listed as Endangered in New Jersey in 1991. But, as we have said numerous times, no one should be thinking a bobcat is a cougar. The cougar's size and long smooth tail alone should make that ID clear.
Last fall October 2021 I was driving on Clove Road in Montague headed towards High Point Country Club - just before dusk enough to see what I was looking at and clear as day I saw a mountain lion run across the road right in front of me
Apparently, NJ had an "exchange program " with Colorado a few years back, maybe 10 or 15. NJ gave Colorado a number of wild turkeys and they gave us the mountain lions. This was told to me by a NJ forest ranger.
I can find no record of such an "exchange" program between NJ and any states.
We were by driving by Jenny jump forest this afternoon before 5pm and we sware it was a mountain lion that ran across the road in front of the car. Solid tan smooth coated large Cat.
My son just saw one yesterday in Stokes State Forest yesterday camping with friends, no question about it it was a mountain lion. We have also seen one in Round Valley Reservoir.
I believe that if this animal was living in a area once before. I don't think it would matter how long it has been. I believe that there's only a few of them and they are only seen once in awhile. Where they do live people don't see them much as you would think they would.
Dude I believe you saw a mountain lion there's to many people seeing the same thing. In the states where they do live. People don't see them as much as you would think. So if there's only a few living in New Jersey. They are not going to be seen that much at all.i think the fish and game commission. Don't want to have people going out and hunting them.
It might be shy but when it's hungry it's not going to be shy anymore. And if it's a mommy and her little ones are hungry. I know that I don't want to be around it. And yes I do believe they are here in Jersey. Good luck with that
I was running on the Canal near the 17th hole in Princeton Country Club a few years back in late February and saw a large cougar. The cat was killing a deer that ran on the frozen Canal and I was about 20 feet away. Fortunately, the deer was closer to the cat then me! Gave up running on the Canal and joined the Princeton Y. They are out there.
couple days ago my boyfriend got a video of a mountain lion! he had his phone faced out on the holder while driving down the road and the lion crossed the road... Warren County
couple days ago my boyfriend got a video of a mountain lion! he had his phone faced out on the holder while driving down the road and the lion crossed the road... Warren County
@freedomechick
So where is the video?
@endangered nj well its a long video and my bf is tech challenged so he does not know how to crop/send to me... he is away a lot but when i c him again I hope he lets me have his phone for a bit... I've seen the video and I told him it is a very special capture. if i get the video from him what shud i do with it? I do not wish to endanger this beautiful animal, perhaps i've said too much already?
@freedomchick The state maintains that cougars do not live in NJ so they would be very interested to find evidence. The video would help though it is not definitive evidence for them. If you had a good video you could post it online or send it to us here endangerednj at gmail If there actually was a presence of mountain lions in the state, they would likely be considered endangered and thus protected.
No I didn't u might've saw a bobcat in that area. Not denying mtn lions in NJ just not there
Here’s a pic from a friends Motion activated camera that is Deerstand here in New Jersey. You tell me what it is:
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/f2/02/13772732-63CA-4C42-9A90-3A834E34D1F3/IMG_2839.jpeg
Unfortunately, that link is not viewable since it is on your computer. You can email it to us endangered at gmail.com
Rt. 287 runs north to south about 30 miles east of the Delaware Water Gap. Rt. 80 runs through the water gap area.
I saw what I believe without a doubt to be a black panther in the far end of the 7 mile hiking trail loop at Belleplain state park. This was on October 10 2021. I have an 80 lb dog and it was without a doubt much larger and agile. It was in chase of waterfowl. Long round tail on the thing.
There was on in my tree last night. A 100lbs mt lion in mahwah NJ
I saw one in Plainsboro in the night in 2015 it was huge.
Yes, I'm pretty sure that they're here. I saw a large cat run across the highway in front of me early one morning on Rte 70 about a few miles past the traffic circle that intersects with Rte 72. You simply can't mistake the way a cat runs, it wasn't a large dog or coyote, and certainly was much larger than a bobcat. I have seen tracks in the sand in the Pines as well. Maybe they were dogs or coyotes, but I doubt it.
About a year ago I was driving home in Princeton New Jersey one night and I live with it just started building new development and me and my wife was in the car and you know I seen something crossing the road that did not resemble a dog or a deer but it was 9:00 at night and the daughter across the road and the street we come down is very dark so the only life she actually have for the lights from the car and I wouldn't say what is that but couldn't make it out so about a week or two later I'm driving down the same block going to my home and I always kept conscious of what was that animal that dashed out when I come to a certain spot and then do you know that animal came out again but this time it was on the right side of me going down and it was just Brown around the sidewalk and it was a mountain lion wasn't a cougar was in the bobcat it was a mountain lion I hit the high beam sister verify it and I was like oh my goodness I told my wife I said there's a mountain lion out here and as I drove further down the road I noticed some people out at night you know cuz where I live at there's a lot of people who do a lot of midnight walking and stuff like that because it's a walk strip and the kids was riding a bike and asking for them said hey grab your kids there's a mountain lion up the road that's just prowling around you know a lot of people will try to diffuse the fact that mountain lions are not out here but if they migrated animals wrong and they always look for new territory and I believe I read about 14-15 years ago that some mountain lions was released in Vernon New Jersey so it's a possible that we still have them here remember the woods in New Jersey is so deep we haven't really explored them all but if you driving on 295 going to Philadelphia I actually think the same animal over that way also going to the casino
287 near the Water Gap? No.
Uhm. No.
Well, my wife and I were shocked to see what was obviously a mountain lion in our back yard in the brush this morning around 8am. We live in Franklin Park on a dead end road with woods in the back and a park on the other side. We are in close proximity to Princeton. We have a lot of rabbit and other small animals in the back. The cat was in a hunt. I actually have a video of its tail and it growling. No mistaking it for anything else. It was not a bobcat due to its big thick tail. Clearly a mountain lion.
We'd like to see that Franklin park video
I live in Jackson New Jersey at 3 o’clock this morning. I had to take my dog outside in the backyard who decided to chase the rabbit when exiting the woods. I heard a loud crash and look to my right. There’s an opening in the trail in the woods and I show these two very large, yellow amber eyes staring at me and I had my George flashlight with me and I turned it on and spiders in mountain lion standing in the woods, he turned and walked back into the woods, but he was clearly after my dog and my dog herded. Luckily, I was able to grab my dog before he went chasing after it and I believe it’s due to the fact that my father-in-law baits for deer that 100 yards behind the house where I live .
It’s not like they’re an extinct species they just supposedly aren’t in New Jersey
Oh great that’s what we need is mt lion cubs
Took video and pictures in August 2022 in Vernon NJ on my street. Large mountain lion or Bobcat 4’ long with short tail and stripes on chest & face.
Sounds big for a bobcat but the short tail and stripes is a bobcat.
Coming home late one night in 2005 about 2:30 am a mountain lion crossed Elm Road In Princeton ear 206 and stopped right in front of my car and looked at me. Days later my wife saw it in our driveway in Skillman. Montgomery Cougars is an apt name.
Coming home late one night in 2005 about 2:30 am a mountain lion crossed Elm Road In Princeton ear 206 and stopped right in front of my car and looked at me. Days later my wife saw it in our driveway in Skillman. Montgomery Cougars is an apt name.
A friend of mine in Kinnelon, NJ just showed me the video from their RING camera of a mountain lion running through their yard.
Where should I suggest she send this for verification?
There is no official place to send video but you can try using the NJ website to report a rare sighting. They could also email the video to us and we can post it so that it gets broader attention. You have to remember that the state does not officially recognize that there are any mountain lions within our borders.
Stumbled across this article and thread because I had to find out if I had just seen a mountain running across a cornfield (toward some deer 200 yds away from it) while driving along Route 78 a few minutes ago. It was seen in Warren County in the mountains bordering Pennsylvania/Delaware river. Thought it was a large coyote , but the body and tail was too long , with a more muscular build , while the head was rounder with a shorter snout and had a dark/amber brown color. After all, they did find raccoons, falcons, Red tailed hawks and coyotes in NYC Central Park so I can't rule it out.
After about three hours of research I am dumbfounded at the abundance of evidence supporting what I saw and got dangerously close to in my backyard around 6pm today about 20 feet from my eyes. Our property sits in a neighborhood, engulfed by about 100 yds dense tree-lines in between each house. We have deer practically coexisting on our property, grazing and even lounging on the daily. Before this occurred, I had no prior knowledge on big cats, and most definitely not the ones rendering any threat or danger to myself or my pets. We live off of route 70, in Southampton NJ. I was outside putting seeds out for the birds, and noticed a tan tawny-colored cat, and most notably the long fluffy tail. Instantly my mind assumed the more common association - had to be a coyote or fox. Once I caught the face of a feline, something about it struck me as odd and I ran in to share this sighting with my mom, also as precaution to keep the dogs inside. It appeared larger than a domestic cat, with stealthy mannerisms. I shit you not the next part of this story is what prompted the research and eventual fear typing at 1am in the morning. We went outside and immediately I spotted it ~25 yard from me high up in the trees looking directly at me. Pointing at in the dense tree-line, my brother eventually saw it and was awestruck. Meanwhile our two Dobermans fenced in, (fortunately!), had not even an ounce of fear or speculation of the threat in close proximity. We proceeded to get closer to it and it quickly meandered down the tree and bolted into our woods and over to the neighbors backyard. It moved like a flash and had to be a fairly young due to its size, about 3-4 feet in length. if anyone knows who I should call to report this please share your recommendations. I am worried for our neighborhood. I would be happy to share my phone number and expand on this further.
I just saw one by pyramid mountain!
I am so excited to find this blog right now. Everything I found previously says that mountain lions are out of New Jersey but I know what I saw. Clear as day it ran across the road in front of the pyramid mountain area in montville. Definitely not a fox, bobcat, coyote, or wolf. Long, muscular, sleek, solid color short tan fur, very long tail, rounded head, dark on top of the ears and had that characteristic two legs together type of a full speed run. Not fully grown gigantic cat, but definitely larger than all those species I listed above. So beautiful. Feel so lucky to have seen it. Definitely very close to the sighting in kinnelon a few months back! (Boonton)
In 2021 I saw a big cat in Emerson nj. It was headed into woods. I couldn’t believe my eyes so I was googling if there was big cats in nj and of course it said no only bob cats. And I looked at tons of pics of bob cats and that’s just not what I saw. It was just yellow and didn’t have those markings and certainly the tail was long and yellow to stripes it black tip or anything. Why don’t they recognize that there are some other big cats here even if not many? There are so many sightings.
my dog alarmed me andI saw one last night in my farm in Lebanon NJ.
Large brown with long tail. I also saw one 20 years ago in Frankford NJ while hunting. I think he was hunting me when I saw him.
Furthermore in 2013-14 I lost 20 lambs to a mountain lion in my farm.
Yes they do live here in NJ
My husband and I were driving east on 513 in Califon -Hunterdon County very close to the Morris County line when we saw what appeared to be a cougar flying across the road! It had a catlike head with smaller ears, rather thick limbs, a long tail and ran like a cat fully stretched out. It did not make a sound. It was a lightish brown in color. We have a German Shepherd who weighs 78 lbs so my guestimate is this animal weighed approximately 150 lbs. It was running from one wooded area through open area to another wooded area. Amazing! We looked at photos of cougars upon returning home (around the corner from the siting) and we are convinced it was a cougar. We have tons of deer here, as well as bear, wild turkey, coyote and plenty of fox not to mention cattle, goats, horses, sheep and chickens. This is not a well developed area of NJ and house lots are 5 acres or more. I have no doubt of what we saw.
I am from Cumberland county, NJ. 100% just saw a Mountain lion near my house, by the road, on a way home from a friends house. This was not a bobcat, no spots. Very muscular and slender frame. My dad, oddly enough likes to run around 2 am sometimes. My theory is he was stalking my dad on his run, that’s why I saw him on the same route on my way home.
Back in 2011, I spotted 3 black Panthers in Delmont New Jersey. Living near the marsh lands in the woods mostly pine trees. I was riding my dirt bike and heard a growl, I had stopped to use the bathroom. When I initially looked around I didn't see anything. But as I got back on my bike I heard it again, this time louder and I could tell which way it was coming from. I looked up in this pine tree and all three of em were in the tree just relaxing. Honestly I didn't even know that they hung out in tree or lived in NJ. I didn't realize how big they were so I actually started to mess with them and sadly I was stupid and Younger in my early 20's, so anyway I was throwing clogs of dirt them at until one started coming out of the tree and I could really get a good look at the size of it and it was about 3-4 foot long from head to were the tail starts. Then I got outta there as fast as I could. I went home and got my phone and came back, but it took me about 20 minutes and by then they were gone. I looked for them a lot since then until I moved, but never seen them again. There are a lot of wooded areas not easy to get to along the marsh lands, the marshes are huge around there about a mile wide from bay to woods with wooded areas going into the marsh in some places. They are also very populated with wildlife. It's a idea habitat for them most of the year and I think they most likely migrated there at some point, but might have left in 2012 because we had a blizzard with almost 3 feet of snow. With trail cams and heat detection cameras attached to a drone I'm sure they could be located. It's been warmer these last few years, with no real winter season. NJ should be on the list though, just so people are aware of their threat. I'm not the only one who has spotted them in NJ either.
Driving through Whiting on 539 at dusk, glanced up a side street and saw a large cat standing in the middle of the road. It was too big to be a house cat, it was all tan with a long thick tail.
Saw a very large tan colored cat with a long tail dead on the side of the road in south mountain reservation on Cherry Lane to be exact. In that area there isn't a shoulder to stop. It was definitely a mountain lion. A few days prior to that there was a massive buck head on the hill and there was blood and guts all over the place. When I passed by again a few days later going to work, it was all gone, along with the dead mountain lion. Hundreds of people had to see this as it's a very busy road.
If only you had taken photos of the cat and the buck
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