The mountain lion is a very large, slender cat with a small head, small rounded ears that are not tufted, very powerful shoulders and hindquarters, and a long, heavy, cylindrical tail.
The coloration in adults is uniform. Upperparts are grizzled gray or dark brown to buff, cinnamon tawny, or rufous. Underparts are dull whitish overlaid with buff across the abdomen. The sides of the muzzle are black, and the chin and throat are white. The last two to three inches of the tail are black.
Similar species: Bobcats are smaller, with short tails, and the back and sides are yellowish to reddish brown streaked and spotted with black (not uniform in coloration).
Many mountain lion sightings in our state turn out to be cases of mistaken identity, but photos, tracks, hair, scat, and videos are some types of physical evidence used to confirm the presence of a mountain lion.
Total length: 5–8½ feet; tail length: 21–37½ inches; weight: 79–265 pounds (male), 64–141 pounds (female).
Officially extirpated, since there is no evidence of a breeding population, but there have been confirmed sightings scattered statewide, as far east as Lewis, Madison, Warren, Wayne, and St. Louis counties. View map of confirmed sightings.
Habitat and Conservation
Mountain lions prefer vegetative cover or rocky, rugged terrain, generally in areas of low human habitation. They have no special home; they merely seek shelter in rocky crevices, hollow trees or logs, holes in banks, or tall grass or underbrush. They are generally nocturnal but may be active during the day. They readily climb trees to obtain food or escape pursuit. The individuals found in Missouri are probably wanderers from states to the west of Missouri. They are occasionally hit by cars.
Food
Deer is a favorite food, but mountain lions also take elk and smaller mammals including rabbits, beavers, opossums, raccoons, skunks, and coyotes. Mountain lions are ambush predators: they stalk their prey and attack within a short distance.
Status
MDC has confirmed numerous mountain lions in Missouri since it began keeping records, averaging 8 a year since the mid-2000s. Genetic samples obtained from some animals that have passed through Missouri suggest many of these animals are coming from western states. Young males typically leave their birth areas seeking territories of their own and often wander hundreds of miles. So far, MDC has no evidence of mountain lions establishing a breeding population within our state. As a Missouri species of conservation concern, its status remains listed as "SX": presumed extirpated.
Life Cycle
It’s rare for a female to breed before 2½ and 3 years of age; thereafter she usually has young at 2-year intervals. Gestation lasts 90–96 days. Young can be born in any month, but the peak is in July. There are usually 2–3 kittens per litter. The kittens are buffy spotted with black. They begin accompanying their mother on hunting trips at about 2 months of age and often stay with her for 2 years. Young males often travel hundreds of miles as they disperse to find new territories.
Human Connections
Mountain lion lions are rarely harvested for their fur, but their meat is edible. Because this species is listed as extirpated in our state, mountain lions may only be killed if they are attacking livestock, domestic animals, or humans.
For millennia, Native Americans have hunted and venerated mountain lions, and mountain lions have played a large role in their stories and spirituality. Mountain lions also figure into countless stories of the American frontier.
Ecosystem Connections
The mountain lion, like other large carnivores, serves as a natural check on deer and other prey species.
In regions and habitats where their populations remain stable, they are a keystone species: their interactions with prey create top-down effects that regulate the impacts of herbivores, invasive species, and disease transmission; the effects even trickle down to increasing soil fertility and biodiversity, and stabilizing the ecosystem in general.
Signs and Tracks
Front and hind tracks:
- 3 inches long
- 4 toes
- Claws normally do not show
- Overall shape is round.
Other notes:
- The mountain lion is rare in Missouri, having been extirpated since the 1920s; occasional individuals wander here from other states.
- There are 3 lobes at the bottom of the heel pad. (Dogs and coyotes have a single indent at the bottom of their pads.)
- Each track is fairly asymmetrical. (Tracks of dogs and their relatives are symmetrical.)
- The toes are rather teardrop-shaped. (Dog and bobcat toes are oval.)
- Tracks are 2¾ to 3¾ inches wide. (Bobcat tracks are much smaller, less than 2 inches wide. Even six-month-old mountain lion kittens leave bigger tracks.)
- Distance between strides is 20 inches (walking).
- Claw marks usually are not present. (Dogs and coyotes usually leave claw marks. The claw marks left by dogs are blunt and flat. In the rare cases where mountain lions leave them, the claw marks are slender and sharp.)
- Tracks are like those of an enormous housecat.
