Department of Conservation Confirms Mountain Lion in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Conservation says that it has confirmed that a mountain lion was recently in Shannon County. This is the first confirmed female mountain lion in the state since 1994, according to the Department of Conservation.

“Mountain lions are still rare in Missouri,” said Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Management Coordinator Alan Leary in a news release. “The detection of a female increases the likelihood that breeding could occur within the state, but at this point we don’t have evidence that a breeding population exists in Missouri.”

The Department of Conservation has recorded 68 confirmed mountain lion sightings in Missouri since 1994. An online map of confirmed mountain lion sightings shows that the animals have been spotted in nearly all regions across the state. Shannon County, the sight of this most recent mountain lion sighting, is in southern Missouri.

Even though spotting a mountain lion is unlikely, the Missouri Department of Conservation does have a Mountain Lion Response team that can be reached by email at mountain.lion@mdc.mo.gov.