You’ve heard the stories. Maybe it was a neighbor over a beer or a frantic post on a local Facebook group showing a grainy, nighttime photo of a long tail disappearing into the brush of the Catskills. People in upstate New York are convinced the big cats are back. They call them cougars, pumas, or catamounts, but the official stance from the state usually feels like a cold shower to the hopeful hiker. Honestly, the gap between what people see and what the experts acknowledge is massive.
Mountain lions in NY aren't "supposed" to be here.
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Eastern cougar is officially extirpated. That’s a fancy way of saying they’re gone, wiped out by hunting and habitat loss by the late 1800s. But tell that to someone in Sullivan County who swears they saw a 140-pound predator crossing Route 17. The reality of the situation is way more nuanced than a simple "yes" or "no." It involves biology, massive migrations, and the occasionally escaped illegal pet that throws a wrench into the data.
The Truth About Mountain Lions in NY and the Ghost of 2011
To understand why people are so obsessed with mountain lions in NY, you have to look at the St. Croix cougar. This is the gold standard of "weird things happen." In 2011, a young male mountain lion was killed by a car in Milford, Connecticut. Before that, it was spotted in Lake George, New York. Biologists did DNA testing and discovered this cat had walked over 1,500 miles from the Black Hills of South Dakota.
It walked through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario. It spent time in the Adirondacks. It crossed highways and bypassed suburbs.
This single animal proved that while there isn't a breeding population of mountain lions in NY, there are absolutely transient individuals passing through. These are usually young males. In the world of pumas, young males are the ultimate outcasts. They get kicked out of their mother’s territory and have to find their own. If they can't find a mate, they just keep walking. Sometimes they walk until they hit the Atlantic Ocean.
Why the DEC is so skeptical
The DEC gets hundreds of "sightings" every year. Most of them are bobcats.
People underestimate how big a bobcat can look in low light. A bobcat has a stubby tail, spots, and ear tufts, but if it's 30 yards away and moving fast, your brain fills in the gaps. Then there are the house cats. You'd be surprised how many "mountain lion" videos are actually just a large ginger tabby filmed from a distance that messes with your sense of scale. Biologists look for "hard evidence." They want "Type 1" data: a carcass, a clear photograph with a scale reference, a DNA-verified hair sample, or a track that isn't a dog print.
Without a female and kittens, the state won't call it a population. And so far, there has been zero evidence of a female mountain lion in New York for over a century.
Where the Sightings Cluster
If you’re looking for mountain lions in NY, you aren't going to find them in Times Square. The reports usually concentrate in three specific areas: the Adirondacks, the Catskills, and the Southern Tier.
The Adirondack Park is six million acres. It's huge. It's rugged. It’s got plenty of deer, which is a cougar’s favorite snack. If a cat was going to hide anywhere, it would be there. Then you have the Catskills, which are closer to NYC but still offer deep cloven valleys and rocky ledges. Most of these "sightings" remain anecdotal. But when you talk to old-timers in the North Country, they don't care what the DEC says. They’ve seen what they’ve seen.
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There's also the "escaped captive" variable. Believe it or not, people still try to keep these animals as pets illegally. When a 150-pound cat becomes too much to handle, sometimes it "slips out" or is intentionally released. These cats don't fear humans the way wild ones do, which often leads to more frequent, brazen sightings before the animal either dies or is captured.
Identifying a real cougar vs. a bobcat
If you think you've seen one, look at the tail. This is the most important part.
- Mountain Lions: Have a tail that is almost as long as their body, usually with a black tip. It curves down and then back up like a "J."
- Bobcats: Have a short, "bobbed" tail that is only about 5 or 6 inches long.
- Size: A male mountain lion is about the size of a German Shepherd but much longer. A bobcat is basically a very buff house cat.
The Ecological Argument for Their Return
Some ecologists, like those at the Rewilding Institute, argue that we need mountain lions in NY. Our deer population is out of control. Chronic Wasting Disease is a threat, and car-deer accidents cost the state millions. Apex predators keep herds healthy by culling the sick and the weak.
But bringing them back is a political nightmare.
Farmers worry about livestock. Parents worry about kids at bus stops. Even though cougar attacks are incredibly rare—you’re more likely to be struck by lightning twice than attacked by a mountain lion—the fear is primal. For now, the state's policy is "passive recolonization." If they show up on their own, they show up. But they aren't being trucked in by the government in the middle of the night, despite what the conspiracy theorists on Reddit might tell you.
What to do if you actually see one
First off, consider yourself lucky. It’s like winning the lottery of nature sightings.
Don't run. That triggers their chase instinct. You aren't faster than them. Stand tall. Raise your arms to look bigger. Speak in a firm, loud voice. If you have a camera, try to get a shot that includes something of a known size—like a fence post or a specific tree—so experts can verify the scale later. Honestly, the cat probably saw you ten minutes before you saw it and has no interest in a confrontation.
Future Outlook: Will they ever stay?
The habitat is there. The food is there. The only thing missing is a female mountain lion willing to trek across the Midwest and the rust belt to reach the Empire State. Until a female makes that journey, any mountain lions in NY will just be lonely wanderers passing through the night.
But as forests in the Northeast continue to mature and connect, the "corridors" become more viable. It might not happen this year or even this decade, but the biological pressure for these cats to reclaim their old stomping grounds is real. The ghost cats might not be such ghosts forever.
Actionable Steps for New York Residents
If you are interested in the presence of large carnivores in your area or want to contribute to the body of knowledge regarding mountain lions in NY, follow these practical steps:
- Install a cellular trail camera: If you live in a rural area, set up cameras near natural funnels like creek crossings or ridgelines. High-resolution footage is the only way to turn a "story" into "science."
- Learn to identify tracks: Buy a plaster of Paris kit. If you find a large, four-toed print without claw marks (cats retract their claws), take a photo with a ruler next to it and pour a mold.
- Report sightings correctly: Don't just post to social media. Use the DEC's large mammal reporting form. Be prepared to provide the exact GPS coordinates and the time of day.
- Secure your property: If you keep small livestock like goats or sheep in areas with high predator activity, ensure they have a roofed enclosure at night. This prevents "nuisance" interactions that usually end poorly for the wildlife.
- Support habitat connectivity: Look into organizations like the Adirondack Council that work to preserve wildlife corridors. These paths are essential for any large mammal trying to navigate the fragmented landscape of the Northeast.