Mountain lion in Illinois? Recent trail cam sighting is rare, but not the first
A mountain lion was recently spotted in Illinois, but the rare occurrence is likely not a sign of things to come.
Brent Jordan said he was scrolling through images on his Pike County trail camera when he discovered photos of the mountain lion prowling on the property, according to KHQA.
“This is a first for us! We caught a really big CAT on our Pike County, Illinois farm,” The Lindsey Way said April 11 on Facebook. “We hope he keeps on walking.”
The Lindsey Way, a wildlife TV series, shared additional images of the mountain lion four days later.
The sighting is just the 11th confirmation of a mountain lion in Illinois since 2002, Dr. Chris Jacques with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources told McClatchy News.
Mountain lions used to be prevalent in Illinois until the late 1800s, when they were mostly eliminated from the state “due to habitat loss and unregulated hunting,” according to Outdoor Illinois Journal, an Illinois Department of Natural Resources publication.
But since 2002, they have been found periodically in Illinois, including one sighting in Pike County in 2012, officials say.
Don’t expect them to stay, however.
“These animals periodically wander into our state which is exciting, but most of Illinois does not have the habitat to support populations so they will continue to move on,” Peggy Doty, University of Illinois Extension natural resources, environment, and energy educator, said in 2022.
Mountain lions need a home range of about 70 square miles, the university said, but most of the state can’t accommodate their lifestyle.
Of the 7% of Illinois land that would be suitable for mountain lions, most of it is in the southern portion of the state, the Outdoor Illinois Journal said in its 2023 report.
Jacques said the department confirmed the recent sighting by evaluating the trail cam footage and observing the wild cat’s tracks. April 14 was the last sighting of the animal, which Jacques described as “a young dispersing male passing through the state.”
If you see a mountain lion, you’re encouraged to not run or surprise the animal, officials say. The animal is unlikely to attack unless trapped or provoked.
Officials say you should “respect the mountain lion’s space,” and if it sees you, “stand your ground” and make yourself “look as large as possible.”
Pike County is about a 75-mile drive west from Springfield.
This story was originally published April 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Mountain lion in Illinois? Recent trail cam sighting is rare, but not the first."