TOLEDO, OH – Mountain lions once roamed Ohio but have been extinct from the state since the 19th century. Despite this news, sightings have been reported in various areas of Ohio, but when was the last recorded sighting?
According to Chief Naturalist John Kolar from the Geauga County Park District, mountain lions, also known as pumas, were extirpated from Ohio in the 19th century, meaning they have been absent from the state for well over a century.
There have been no confirmed sightings of these large cats in the area since, according to Kolar.
Kolar advises that while it’s unlikely for mountain lions to roam Geauga County today, anyone who believes they have seen one should report it to the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
A confirmed sighting requires either a quality photograph or verification from a wildlife officer.
In 2014, an Ohio Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Officer spotted what they thought was a mountain lion in Wintersville near Fernwood State Forest in Jefferson County.