Mountain lion sighted in Northeast Missouri

HANNIBAL, Mo. (AP) -- The plains of northeast Missouri would seem an odd place to find a mountain lion, but conservation agents say reports of sightings are common.

Last month, a man reported seeing one of the large cats running through a field near Perry, about 100 miles northwest of St. Louis. While it hasn't been confirmed the animal was a mountain lion, it may well have been, said Greg Gremaud, natural history biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation's northeast region.

The most recent confirmed sighting in the region was last May, when an animal spotted in a field near Madison left tracks indicating it was likely a mountain lion.

Gremaud said he receives 6-8 mountain lion reports each year.

Mountain lions are known by many names -- cougar, puma, catamount, panther. While most abundant in the western U.S., the cats are adaptable to different types of habitats. Experts report that they are most abundant in areas with plentiful deer and adequate cover, which is why it makes sense to Gremaud that cougars may be in northeast Missouri.

"White-tailed deer is their primary prey and there's plenty of prey for them, along with mixed habitats," he said.

Gremaud suspects that many of the cougars sighted are younger males, who may have been driven out of western territories by dominant males. These youngsters may be moving east, searching for a hunting territory they can claim.

"Anybody with the Conservation Department would tell you that at any one time there's mountain lions in the state," said Gremaud. "However, nobody would guess as to how many there are. I don't know that anybody is willing to say there is a breeding population, but there's a darn good likelihood there will be, if it hasn't already."

Adult males may be more than 8 feet long and generally weigh 130 to 150 pounds. Adult females can be 7 feet long and weigh 65 to 90 pounds.

Mountain lions are reclusive and in most instances will avoid contact with humans. However, Gremaud warns against turning and running if you happen upon one that is feeding.

"Make yourself look big," Gremaud said. "If you're wearing a jacket, spread it out to make yourself look bigger, then back up and keep an eye on it."

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Story from Hannibal Courier-Post, http://www.hannibal.net.