Mountain Lion Sightings Reported in Georgia Despite Extinction

Photo byNathan AndressonUnsplash

COLUMBUS, GA - Mountain lions, also known as cougars or panthers, once roamed widely across the United States, including Georgia.

However, sightings of these elusive predators in the state today are highly unlikely.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), they receive annual reports of large cat sightings, but no credible physical evidence has been found to substantiate the existence of a population of mountain lions in Georgia.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the eastern cougar extinct, concluding that this subspecies disappeared from the eastern U.S. by the 1930s.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), the closest population of mountain lions to Georgia is the Florida panther, located in South Florida.

In the last 25 years, there have been only three credible mountain lion sightings in Georgia, all of which were related to the Florida panther.

The most recent incident occurred in 2008 when a hunter in LaGrange, GA, mistakenly shot and killed a federally endangered Florida panther, resulting in a federal wildlife violation, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

Many reported sightings of "mountain lions" are likely cases of mistaken identity, often involving bobcats, house cats, or even dogs.

Despite this, the WRD takes each report seriously, conducting thorough investigations when appropriate.