Mountain Lion Confirmed in Indiana

One of the Department of Natural Resources’ motion-activated cameras snapped a couple photos of a mountain lion in southern Indiana last week. The DNR says they had been receiving more sightings reports than usual – the majority are never actually of lions – but due to the increased volume of calls, they decided to investigate further and set up some trail cameras. The DNR released a few of the photos that clearly show a mountain lion sniffing around Greene County. Officials cannot yet say if it was released from captivity or a wild lion, and if wild, from where it dispersed. DNA evidence is needed to determine how closely related the cat is to western populations of lions. Mountain lions are protected from trophy hunting in Indiana but can be killed by a resident if they are found preying on pets or livestock, or considered a threat to public safety.