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MOUNTAIN LIONS IN THE STATE OF OHIO

Help ensure a future for mountain lions in Ohio

Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Ohio, persecution at the hands of humans has driven them locally extinct in the state. Fear and misinformation were the main forces driving this extirpation. There have been no confirmations of wild mountain lions in modern times despite many alleged reports. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, lists the mountain lion as "extirpated."

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 Ohio.

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

SUMMARY: Cougars in the State of Ohio

For more detail you can explore using the links below.

The status of Puma concolor.

Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Ohio, persecution at the hands of humans has driven them locally extinct in the state. Fear and misinformation were the main forces driving this extirpation. There have been no confirmations of wild mountain lions in modern times despite many alleged reports. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, lists the mountain lion as "extirpated."
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 Ohio.

Click here to learn more about status

Mountain lion law in Ohio.

Here 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 Ohio, and moved between Ohio 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 Ohio.

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Lion habitat in Ohio.

Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Ohio, 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 Ohio.

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 Ohio, 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 Ohio.

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.

Ohio's historic forests and hills were once home to a thriving population of mountain lions. However, by 1845, direct and intentional persecution by humans killed off every last puma. The state of Ohio uses the contemporary absence of these animals to justify classifying them as nonnative wildlife, a classification precludes their inclusion on Ohio's endangered species. Endangered species protection could help dispersing individuals recolonize their former range within the state.

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