JACKSON, MS – Although mountain lions were declared extinct in Mississippi more than a century ago, sightings of the elusive cats continue to be reported.
These rare encounters are likely due to young male lions passing through the state while searching for new territory.
According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, Mississippi lacks a breeding population of mountain lions, but wildlife advocates, like Tom Forks, a Mountain Lion Foundation Coexistence Ambassador, remain passionate about the potential return of these majestic creatures to the region.
Forks explains that Mississippi’s vast forests and abundant wildlife, including the highest concentration of whitetail deer in the country, could provide ideal habitat for mountain lions, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation.
However, the state has not yet attempted to reintroduce a breeding population.
Despite their absence, public interest in mountain lions has grown in recent years. Forks notes that at a recent event in Jackson, residents expressed support for conservation efforts, signaling a shift in public sentiment, according to the Mountain Lion Foundation.