INDIANA — Reports of mountain lion sightings continue to be made across Indiana, even though wildlife officials say the species has been absent as a resident animal for more than a century.
Mountain lions, also known as cougars, pumas or panthers, once inhabited Indiana but were eliminated from the state by the late 1800s due to hunting, habitat loss and human settlement. Today, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) states that there is no known breeding population of mountain lions in Indiana. However, unlike many eastern states, Indiana has documented several confirmed cougar occurrences in recent decades.
Despite the lack of a resident population, mountain lion sightings continue to be reported throughout the state each year. Reports have come from southern Indiana, central Indiana and northern Indiana, often involving large tan-colored cats observed crossing roads, moving through fields or appearing on trail cameras. Many reports are investigated by wildlife officials, although most are not confirmed…