Here, kitty, kitty. Well, maybe not. Sioux Falls Police are reporting that they have confirmed a mountain lion sighting in the “greenway area of downtown Sioux Falls.”
Police said that on Wednesday morning, they received several reports of a mountain lion in town, including photos and video. Then Sioux Falls Animal Control worked with the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (SDGFP) to confirm that what people saw was indeed a mountain lion. SDGFP verified that the animal was a “young mountain lion.”
“Is a Mountain Lion the same as a cougar, puma, or panther? In short, yes. They are all names for the same animal, a big cat native to the Americas. They can be found from North America’s far north to South America’s far south.”
Mountain lions in South Dakota mostly live in the Black Hills. South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks estimates that there are almost 300 lions that call the Hills home nowadays. But, the big cats do roam around, often looking for mates or food.
“We share this information out of an abundance of caution. Mountain lions occasionally pass through the area, and it’s likely this one is doing just that,” the SFPD said in a statement…