Many in Missouri Claim They’ve Really Seen Black Panthers

It's no secret that Missouri has mountain lions. They're not seen often, but there are numerous confirmed sightings. However, there are many in the Show Me State that swear they've seen a more vicious predator - black panthers.

One of the more amusing conversations on the Missouri sub-Reddit lately is a question someone just asked which was "Has anyone else seen what looked like a black panther?" The answers are sometimes hilarious and even educational - sometimes.

Has anyone else seen what looks like a black panther?
byu/lionsandtigersnobear inmissouri

Let's get to the Missouri things we know. Yes, the Missouri Department of Conservation has confirmed more than 120 mountain lion sightings over the years and they have a helpful map showing the locations, too.

When it comes to black panthers, I've never seen even one picture or video that pretends to show one of these big black predators in Missouri and that's saying something. There are many who think they see mountain lions all the time. Black panthers? Not so much. Well, I guess there is this one.

I believe there are some very sincere people who legitimately believe they've seen wild animals like this. But, you really need to refer to experts to help you understand what you're seeing and if it's really the black panther you think it is. In Missouri, the answer is likely no. Maybe.