Breaking: NJ Mystery Cat Report
Posted by: Loren Coleman on May 2nd, 2006
Monmouth County police are reporting a sighting of a large Mystery Mountain Lion or some kind of Phantom Panther around Dutch Lane, along the Colts Neck-Marlboro border, New Jersey, on May 1.
Conservation officials studied a large paw print and took scat back for analysis. The State Division of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the paw print did come from a large cat, but they were not clear if the print belonged to a mountain lion.
Besides reports from local ABC News and the Ashbury Park Press, Cryptomundo tipster Drew Vics says the local NY-NJ station 1010 WINS is reporting the cryptid is black or melanistic.
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
I live in New Jersey. Everyone knows that there are mountain lions here, but fish and game won’t admit it until someone brings in a body, or photographic/videographic proof. Nothing cryptid about it, fellas, sorry.
#1 writes: “Nothing cryptid about it, fellas, sorry.”
We don’t make up what is and is not “cryptid.”
Officially, mountain lions (a/k/a pumas/cougars) do not exist in New Jersey.
If an animal is officially not verified by a governmental body or zoological organization as existing, then, of course, it is still cryptid.
I’ve spent some time doing field work in Colts Neck and have found the usual assortment of stick formations and bowed trees that are associated with Bigfoot.
I found a thread on another site with stories of mountain lion and other wild cat sightings in NJ.
Scroll down for the thread on NJ.
Question is, are these big cats just passing through, or do some actually thrive in NJ? And is there any kind of study being done to confirm or deny their presence?
I actually came across this (melanistic big cat) in NH. I wrote to someone with the Fish & Wildlife dept and got the expected response. Thing is, it was during winter and we had about 3″ of snow cover on the ground, so the next morning I could see its tracks. Now I have heard many many reports of mountain lions in VT especially around the wilderness areas near RT12, but never anything near where I was in NH.
And if anyone is curious, I don’t own a camera so I don’t have any photos of the prints, sadly.
btl-
Did it have a cougar structure and was just black, or was the physiology different?
shovethenos- It was about 3am at the time, and the only light I had was on the side of the house pointing towards the driveway, the cat was on the other side, sitting. So I only got a very clear view of its head. From that it appeared to be just like the head of most eastern pumas I’ve seen from pictures. The only exception to this was the head seemed uhm, ‘fatter’ (for lack of a better word). I sat there watching it for a minute and it was actually staring at me through the window but I looked away before it even moved.
Interesting. The reason why I asked is the because some descriptions of the infamous “Ozark Howler” describe it as a more stocky dark colored cat – like a lion or a very big bobcat. Of course the Howler is supposed to be hundreds of miles away in the Ozarks, but who knows.
Let me reiterate Templar’s comment by saying that I too live in NJ, and most people with any woods experience will agree that we have cougars here. I know someone who once saw one dead by the side of the road. Alas, I can only assume that its remains ended up in an incinerator somewhere after being picked up by a highway crew (And if you’re wondering, I was told about the incident many years later). There were also several sightings of a mountain lion in Philadelphia, in the winter of 1995, I believe. Just last night someone was telling me that their grandfather had shot one in Absecon (Just outside of Atlantic City) after a series of livestock mutilations. That’s probably going back quite a few decades, but still serves to prove the point.
There have been sightings before in New Jersey. Just last year in the Parsippanny area there were a few sightings and the same denials from officials.We get them now and then and I don’t see why not. There are plenty of areas for the cats to habit in the hills and rock shelters in the north or the pine barrens.In fact Shades of Death road was reputed to have gotten its name because of mountain lions living in the area and unfortunate hikers falling prey to snacking cats. Just ask CryptoJoe.
Me and my friends belived so we went out in back of tall oaks williamstown NJ and found footprints of a big cats ambushing some deer. The creepy thing is we live neer scotland run and they could easly live there and no one would know
I wouldnt be surprised at all. People a few years ago would laugh if you told them there were black bears in NJ, now look how many there are. With no other predators around the mountain lion could thrive in this enviroment.
If there are woody areas with deer (especially) and somewhere near by that is suppose to have cougars/pumas, whatever, you will have them too. Each one has huge territories, so when the (2 usually) cubs get run off by momma, they have to search to find their own areas. The 2 young ones may stick together for a few months to a year, but then split. Now, I don’t know the laws back east concerning the killing of cougars/pumas, but in California it has to be killing you. Do the math.
You can even start with a couple getting introduced back into old areas, and then spread out from there. It won’t take long for them to take over.
As of October 23rd, 2007 there has been a rash of excellent reports from trained obsevers in NJ, Maine, Pennsylvania, Maryland & Vermont.
Several pictures have been received from wildlife & law enforcement officials who had possession of evidence, until approved for release, we cannot show them on internet or website.
And YES, there are mountain lions in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Maryland & West Virginia…as their tracks & pictures have been confirmed by certified professional scientists.
I’m on this site today because I googled big cats in nj. I play golf almost every Sunday morning in upper Freehold twp and on my way on 06/01/2008 a very large cat the size of a mt. lion or panther crossed (ran) the road in front of me. It was not the size of a large house cat or wild cat but about three times that size. I’m sure that it was not a dog or deer and it ran like a big cat. After questioning a few people in my social circle no one could answer if big cats live in N J so here I am. apx location Emily’ Hill rd and about 6:45 am ( sun was up).