What to Know
- Mountain lions are rare in the state of Illinois, with only a dozen confirmed reports in the last 25 years
- Most mountain lions in the state have arrived from elsewhere, especially the northern Great Plains
- Experts are offering tips to keep residents safe in the event they encounter a mountain lion in the wild
Conservation officials are alerting the public to a series of confirmed mountain lion sightings in southwestern Illinois in recent weeks.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, it is believed the same mountain lion has been seen multiple times in Union and Jackson counties, located in the southwest portion of the state near the Shawnee National Forest.
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