Once plentiful across the South, the elusive mountain lion has not been officially confirmed in Mississippi for over a century. Experts have predicted for several years, however, that populations of the mountain lion in western states are expected to head eastward. With credible sightings of the big cat popping up around the state, is the mountain lion poised to return to Mississippi?
Decades of hunting and habitat loss drove the mountain lion westward out of Mississippi. Now, the loss of habitat in the west may be bring the mountain lion back to forested areas of the state.
Although wildlife officials currently say that a viable mountain lion population in Mississippi is unlikely, there have been some very credible sightings over the last few years. Neighboring states Louisiana and Tennessee have both had mountain lion sightings verified by state wildlife officials in recent years.
Tom Forks is a nationally known mountain lion advocate who lives in Mississippi. He believes that the state has the perfect habitat for the big cats. In a recent interview for the Mountain Lion Foundation, Forks stated,