HERE KITTY KITTY?
Checking out properties for a real estate client near Shell Knob, MO by the Mark Twain National Forest, I was surprised to see a very large cat cross the road in front of me. I knew it wasn't a domestic cat, but didn't want to trust by eyes alone, so sought out a lady who lives on several acres in the area. She confirmed that I had indeed seen a young mountain lion.
This may be no big deal to people from states that have a mountain lion population, but we are told that there AREN'T any mountain lions in Missouri. So I was excited to see one. Just as we are told there are few if any black bears here (I saw 3).
My friend related that she had seen the female this spring with two kits. The big cat appeared to be close to 160 pounds - well fed on local deer, and was no trouble or dangerous , but maintain your distance.
Of course, my mind was wondering where the male was? Research on Google indicated 35 miles was a normal territory for them.
Once many of Missouri's forests were a haven for mountain lions, sometimes called puma's, or cougars. With fewer forests, less food and no laws to protect them, the large cats had nearly vanished from Missouri by 1850. The last reported legal killing of a mountain lion was in 1927.
Mountain lions could be back. Their favorite food -deer- is plentiful again. The rocky ridges, caves, and forests, where they prefer to live, are still around, especially in the Ozarks. They have plenty of water with Table Rock Lake close by.
Listed as endangered in Missouri, lions now are protected.
Comments(6)