Are there any mountain lions in Iowa?

The DNR says while there is no breeding population of mountain lions in Iowa, young males are known to wander great distances in search of food, mates, and new territory. The closest breeding population of mountain lions is likely located in the Black Hills area of South Dakota, some 600 miles away from central Iowa.

Table of Contents

Is it legal to shoot mountain lions in Iowa?

Iowa DNR does not encourage people killing a lion they come across, but it is not against the law.

Did Iowa release mountain lions?

So they often continue moving on, which means there are no breeding populations in Iowa. The Iowa DNR has not stocked mountain lions and has no plans to do so,” the DNR said on its website. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources on Thursday confirmed a video shared with KCCI is a mountain lion.

Where are mountain lions in Iowa?

A handful of other mountain lion sightings have been reported in the past few months, including in Des Moines and Ankeny. According to data from the DNR, there have been more than 30 mountain lion sightings in Iowa since 2001, including one in Polk County in 2012 and two in 2019.

What is the largest predator in Iowa?

They preferred woodland areas, like those in eastern Iowa, over prairie. But as Iowa’s largest predator, settlers saw black bears as a threat to their crops, livestock and families, leading them to kill any bears that crossed their path.

How many mountain lions live in Iowa?

For 2019, there were 6 confirmed reports of mountain lions in Iowa.

Are there any wolves in Iowa?

While wolves are more capable of hunting larger prey, their numbers in Iowa are so low that their presence is not expected to heavily reduce deer populations in the state. At this time, we estimate there to be five or fewer wolves in the entire state of Iowa at any given time.

Are there grizzly bears in Iowa?

Unlike Yellowstone or Alaska, Iowa has no grizzly bears and our occasional black bear is likely to avoid people.

Does Iowa have moose?

Unlike mountain lions, wolves and bears, moose are not very secretive and really stand out in Iowa, especially in harvested crop fields. Their locations are usually well-documented in the local media as the public reports sightings. Moose are a protected species in Iowa.

How many mountain lions are in Iowa?

Is there wolves in Iowa?

Are there wild bison in Iowa?

Currently there are a few managed herds of bison in Iowa, though none are managed by the Iowa DNR. If you’d like to see some roaming bison, two places you can go are Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City and Broken Kettle Grasslands (managed by The Nature Conservancy) north of Sioux City.