Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Tennessee, 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 Tennessee.
The status of Puma concolor.
Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Tennessee, 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.
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Mountain lion law in Tennessee.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. Click here to learn more about law |
The history of lions in the state.
Before European settlement, mountain lions once occurred throughout Tennessee, and moved between Tennessee 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 Tennessee.
Though mountain lions once roamed the hills and forests of Tennessee, 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 Tennessee.
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The science of lions in the state.
Though mountain lions once roamed the great state of Tennessee, 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 Tennessee.
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Take action for lions.Overhunting and loss of habitat extirpated mountain lions from Tennessee in the early 1900's. That makes the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) confirmed presence of a mountain lion within the state in late 2015 extremely exciting. However, to prevent the overreaction of concerned residents and a possible repeat of history, it is important state and local authorities have conservation measures in place and that the public is well educated on the importance of mountain lions in the local ecosystem. Below are some actions you can take as a local volunteer to help ensure Tennessee lions receive the respect and protection they deserve. Click here to learn more about action |