WICHITA, KS – hough mountain lions were eradicated from Kansas over a century ago, sightings have become more frequent in recent years.
According to Kansas State University wildlife specialist Drew Ricketts, there have been approximately 50 confirmed sightings since the first modern report in 2007. In 2020 alone, 15 sightings were confirmed, though they were likely of just three mountain lions passing through the state.
These lions, typically young males, often travel through Kansas in search of new territory and potential mates.
According to Kansas State University, while Kansas doesn’t have a breeding population of mountain lions, these transient individuals are believed to come from nearby states like South Dakota, particularly after successful breeding seasons in the Black Hills.
Mountain lions tend to follow river corridors, such as the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers, as they move from northwest to southeast Kansas.
While sightings are still rare, they have become more common over the past 15 years, highlighting the ongoing presence of these large predators despite their official extinction in the state, according to Kansas State University.