Mountain Lion Reports Confirmed In Pittsburg County

A report of a mountain lion has been confirmed for the first time in Pittsburg County.

Over the past few months, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife (ODWC) has confirmed several mountain lion sightings in the state.

The most recent was in Pittsburg County, although ODWC didn't give a specific location.

The wildlife department shared pictures of a big cat's tracks.

Biologists say they believe it was male due to the size of the track and its 53-inch stride.

A mountain lion was confirmed on the same property in September 2020.

Even though there are mountain lion sightings, the Wildlife Department says Oklahoma isn't a home base for big cats and still considers them a transient species.

They're known to roam hundreds of miles in some cases.

Biologists say there's not a breeding population in the state, they haven't been able to verify a female with kittens or a female that has been reproductively active in our state.

But they say it's only a matter of time before that happens and until then, any that are spotted here are just passing through, biologists say.

Biologists have also confirmed sightings this year in Ottawa and Cimmaron Counties.

ODWC asks anyone who has evidence of a mountain lion or a sighting to report it on the department's mountain lion reporting page.