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MOUNTAIN LIONS IN THE STATE OF IOWA

Help ensure a future for mountain lions in Iowa

Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Iowa, persecution at the hands of humans has driven them locally extinct in the state. Fear and misinformation were the main forces driving this extirpation. But attitudes have changed since the early 1900s and there's hope for the future.

If we support mountain lion-friendly legislation, open space conservation, and preserve corridors connecting potential habitat, we could reverse this situation and bring mountain lions back home to Iowa.

Return to the portal page for Iowa.
The status of Puma concolor in Iowa.
State law and regulations affecting cougars.
The history of cougars in Iowa.
Ecosystems and habitat in Iowa.
Cougar science and research in Iowa.
Our library of media, research and reports.
How you can take action to help!

SUMMARY: Cougars in the State of Iowa

For more detail you can explore using the links below.

The status of Puma concolor.

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Mountain lion law in Iowa.

In the box below you will find all the governing state statutes, mountain lion legal status, state laws, information about the state legislature, initiative and referendum processes, and the state wildlife agency, mountain lion management plans, mountain lion hunting laws, depredation laws, and other regulations as appropriate.

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The history of lions in the state.

Before European settlement, mountain lions once occurred throughout Iowa, and moved between Iowa and neighboring states. Ideal habitat would have occurred in the forests, hills, and along the timbered streams, but mountain lions could have persisted anywhere there was ample prey.

Direct persecution, conversion of wildlands to agriculture and human development, roads and highways, and other forms of habitat loss all contributed to the decline and ultimate extirpation of mountain lions in Iowa.

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Lion habitat in Iowa.

Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Iowa, persecution at the hands of humans drove them locally extinct. If we support open space conservation and preserve corridors connecting potential habitat, we could reverse this situation and bring mountain lions back home to Iowa.

Although mountain lions may be physically capable of living in an area, human activities and attitudes could keep them from reestablishing a population there. Fragmentation, sport hunting practices, and intolerant communities can wipe out mountain lions from any area. For more data on habitat use, check out our various Science tabs.

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The science of lions in the state.

Though mountain lions once roamed the great state of Iowa, human persecution has eliminated them from its hills and forests. With no mountain lion population to study, there isn't any current research to report in Iowa.

Click on other states' Science Tabs to see the myriad of research projects being conducted by researchers from universities, state and federal agencies, non-profits, and other groups across the country.

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Take action for lions.

Mountain lions have no legal wildlife status in Iowa. Two legislative efforts have been made to place the mountain lion in the Iowa code as a designated wildlife species. However, strong agricultural interests prevailed, and both efforts failed. Since mountain lions have no legal protection in Iowa, they may be hunted with almost no restrictions other than a prohibition of hunting with the aid of artificial light and hunting on wildlife refuges. Iowa defines endangered species as "any species of fish, plant life, or wildlife which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant part of its range." This definition is clearly inclusive of mountain lions. However, Iowa does not include them on their list.

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