MISSOURI — The Missouri Department of Conservation reports five confirmed mountain lions in the state so far this year.
Two of those big cats were seen in northeast Missouri; one in Scotland County, the other in Putnam County.
The mountain lion in Scotland County, seen on October 15, 2025, was confirmed by game camera video and other signs.
The one spotted on March 6, 2025, in Putnam County was verified by a game camera photo and other signs.
The other three mountain lion confirmations in Missouri this year happened in Saline, Andrew and Buchanan counties.
Since the conservation department started investigating reports of mountain lions in Missouri in 1996, there have been 128 confirmed sightings.
The Large Carnivore Response Team, formerly named the Mountain Lion Response Team, investigates hundreds of reported mountain lion sightings, but they say most reported sightings turn out to be bobcats or large dogs.
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The conservation department said on its website that it has never stocked mountain lions in the Show-Me State, and it has no plans to do so.