Missouri Just Confirmed 2 New Mountain Lion Sightings

If you're in the camp that believes there are more mountain lions in Missouri than the state is willing to recognize, you'll be pleased to know that state officials have just given official confirmation to two new big cat sightings.

This isn't just an anecdotal sighting from someone that thinks they've seen a mountain lion. This comes directly from the Missouri Department of Conservation's Mountain Lion sightings page. To make sure I don't misquote anyone, here are the exact words from the MDOC:

• Friday, Mar 6, 2026 - Perry County - Photo of mountain lion taken by game camera - LCRT confirmed using photos and other sign.
• Saturday, May 2, 2026 - Polk County - Photo of mountain lion taken by game camera - LCRT confirmed using photos and other sign.

Even though these sightings were apparently confirmed by Missouri Department of Conservation investigators back in the Spring, they're just now being made public on the website. This now brings the total number of mountain lion sightings that the Missouri Department of Conservation has confirmed over the last 30 years to 135.

It's fair to say that it's uncommon to see Missouri state officials publicly confirm sightings of these big cats. As I recall, the last time it happened this year was back in January.

I have questioned in the past why Missouri state officials seem to be so wary of confirming these big cat sightings that many say happen all the time, but I know that department has gone through recent staff reductions, so I'm in favor of showing them some grace.