Mountain lions in Illinois? One was hit and killed by a car on I-88 in Dekalb County this weekend

Gone from Illinois since the 1870s, the occasional mountain lion can sometimes be spotted wandering through the state.

Image by kwiktor/Depositphotos.com

(CHICAGO) This Sunday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) reported a mountain lion was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 88 in DeKalb County. DeKalb County is about an hour west of Chicago.

According to 23 WIFR, Illinois troopers responded to what they thought was a call for a deer hit by a car. When they arrived at the scene, they did not find a deer. Instead, they found a mountain lion that had been struck and killed by a vehicle.

Though no one was hurt, the animal was transferred to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (UIUC) for a full necropsy and DNA analysis. The IDNR says this will help biologists learn more about where the mountain lion came from and how it's been moving across the Midwest.

The IDNR is also monitoring another mountain lion that has been spotted in western Illinois.

Mountain lions used to roam freely across Illinois

Before the 1870s, mountain lions, also called North American cougars, were common in Illinois. They were driven out of the area due to hunting and habitat loss, according to Wildlife Illinois.

A cougar was found in Chicago in 2008

In the only sighting of a mountain lion inside the city of Chicago since the 19th century, a 150-pound mountain lion was found roaming the North Side in 2008. According to the Chicago Tribune, the animal was shot and killed by police officers who feared it was turning to attack.

What to do if you spot a mountain lion?

On the very rare chance you happen to see a mountain lion wandering around the Chicago area, Wildlife Illinois recommends you do the following:

• Do not run.
• Don't surprise the animal. Make it aware of your presence by making noises.
• If you're with others, gather everyone together and move as a group.
• Retreat to a vehicle or inside a building if you can.
• Never approach the animal.
• If the mountain lion sees you, make yourself look big by standing up straight and putting your arms in the air. Then slowly back away.
• If the cougar attacks, don't play dead. Try to fight it off. You can throw rocks or use sticks.

For more information, go to WildifeIllinois.org.

Mountain lions have been protected in Illinois since 2015 by the Wildlife Code. They can't be harassed, hunted, or killed unless they pose a direct threat to your safety or property. You can report sightings to the IDNR.

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