Wild animals are roaming the region

PINE PLAINS — There have been a number of bear sightings reported recently, in Pine Plains, Ancram, Millerton — even crossing the border into Connecticut.  Just last week a bear was photographed behind The Stissing House in Pine Plains, at the intersection of routes 199 and 82.

People are warned to leave bears alone if spotted and to head in the other direction. If one comes across a bear cub do not approach it; its mother is probably close by and feeling very protective. If a bear appears while one is inside a vehicle remain inside until it has gone. If on foot, get indoors immediately.

A 350-pound black bear was hit by an SUV in Goshen, Conn., on June 25, just east of the Cornwall, Conn., town line. Another bear was seen crossing the Salisbury, Conn., and Millerton border that same week. 

“We had a bear destroy our bird feeder and take down some lilac branches in early June.  So, I certainly have direct experience with bears in our midst,” said Ancram Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) member Jane Meigs.

A black bear was also spotted near the Harlem Valley Rail Trail on Mill Road in Millerton, in the back yard of Rosie Morse and Albert Francke, about two weeks ago. The bear ate from their bird feeder, returning the next day to do the same. After witnessing the damage the bear caused, the Franckes said they were taking down the bird feeder — advice the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) strongly encourages.

According to the DEC, to avoid attracting nuisance animals like bears residents should make sure they don’t leave garbage outside, take down their bird feeders and clean their barbecue grills after every use before storing them inside. 

Meanwhile, residents in Ancramdale have also reported seeing cougars in recent weeks. Cougars are also known as mountain lions, pumas, panthers and catamounts. A cougar ranges between six and eight or nine feet long while a bobcat stretches about three feet long.

A large cougar was reportedly sighted in the woods between Woods Road, Roche Drive and Snyder Road, according to local veterinarian Tina Aiken. Aiken said she saw a “large mountain lion” Sunday, May 31, while riding her horse. There was another reported sighting one month later, on Saturday, July 4, near Catamount. 

“I’ve heard quite a few people saying they’ve seen them, and we’ve had mountain lions on the property before,” said Aiken. “It’s a big cat with a long tail, not like a bobcat. The one I saw was huge, probably almost as tall as a deer.

“I was astonished,” she added. “I was a little concerned because I also had my dogs with me … but the animal disappeared. Otherwise I wasn’t overly concerned.”

Both Aiken and Meigs said cougars have been an ongoing concern for Ancram residents during the past few years.

“As a member of Ancram’s Conservation Advisory Council, I worked on a short article/flyer about the possibility of local cougar sightings.  Art Bassin, our town supervisor, mailed the article out to Ancram residents last summer, and it was sent out again a few weeks ago,” Meigs noted.

Cougars are typically long and slender, with small, broad, round heads, according to the Meigs. Their ears are “short, erect and rounded” and their short fur is usually tannish, though more gray in the winter months. The CAC referenced the DEC’s description of their “muzzle, chin and underparts as creamy white, with black appearing at the tip of their long tails and behind the ears. Young cougars have obvious dark spots on their flanks.”

Cougars are commonly mistaken for bobcats, coyotes, large house cats and dogs.

“If you believe you have seen a cougar, check for tracks, scat or other signs that may have been left by the animal and take photographs of these signs. If possible, photograph the animal,” suggested the CAC flyer. “When taking photographs of tracks, please include an object of known size, such a quarter or a ruler, next to the track. Placing a can or bucket over the tracks may help preserve them until they can be examined by DEC wildlife staff.”

Aiken, meanwhile, said she hopes people don’t go after the animals.

“I think wildlife should have a place, too,” she said. “I don’t want anybody to hunt or shoot them. We should try to accommodate them, but take precautions. I don’t think they are a big danger for us, but they could be for other animals like sheep, dogs or cats. But then I’m aware of coyotes, too, they’re always a concern.”

As for those who claim cougars are only seen when they’re kept as pets, and somehow get out, Aiken said the evidence proves otherwise.

“I think there are too many reports,” she said. “I do believe they are in the area. Not all the time, on and off, but it’s a huge territory.”

For more information on wildlife, call the DEC Region 3 headquarters, which covers Dutchess County, at 845-256-3098. The wildlife line at Region 4 headquarters, which covers Columbia County, can be reached at 518-357-2450. The DEC’s website address is www.dec.ny.gov.