Mountain Lion Sightings Reported in Oklahoma Despite Said Extinction

Photo byDylan CrawfordonUnsplash

TULSA, OK - Oklahoma's landscape once teemed with mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas, or panthers.

However, by the 19th century, European settlers eradicated these large predators, mainly due to hunting and the depletion of their primary food source, deer.

Despite being considered extinct in the state for over a century, sightings of mountain lions continue to be reported across Oklahoma.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, mountain lions are elusive animals with distinctive characteristics, including a tail more than half the length of their body, black tips on the tail and ears, and a primarily tan coat.

While some sightings are genuine, many are cases of mistaken identity, with animals like bobcats, dogs, and even deer being confused for these big cats. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) investigates dozens of mountain lion sightings annually, but only a few have been confirmed with hard evidence such as tracks or photos.

Despite persistent rumors, the ODWC has never released or relocated mountain lions in Oklahoma, nor do they have plans to do so. The state does not have the extensive physical evidence—such as numerous tracks, prey kills, or frequent road-kills—that would indicate a viable, breeding population of mountain lions.

Instead, Oklahoma biologists, along with their counterparts in Arkansas and Missouri, conclude that while wandering individuals occasionally pass through, there is no established population.

The ODWC continues to protect mountain lions under Oklahoma's Wildlife Code, which allows for the animals to be taken if they pose a threat to humans or livestock. However, each case must be reported immediately, and the carcass is examined for biological data.

The nearest established populations of mountain lions remain in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and South Dakota, but the mysterious and sporadic sightings in Oklahoma keep the myth and mystery of the mountain lion alive in the state.