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.
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."
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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. Click here to learn more about law |
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.
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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.
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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.
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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. Click here to learn more about action |