Springfield, Illinois (WAND) — Springfield residents west of Veterans Parkway have been notified of a mountain lion in the area.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced that researchers were tracking a puma (puma) near the western edge of the city. This animal has been tracked on his GPS collar and traveled from Nebraska to Illinois. We passed through a suburb of Lincoln, Nebraska and had no reported issues.
Mountain lions travel long distances and tend to be solitary hunters. This young man was fitted with his GPS collar by the Nebraska Games and Parks Commission in November 2021. He previously moved between McDonagh and Cass counties.
Another mountain lion was killed while crossing Interstate 88 earlier this month.
IDNR is urging people to leave this animal alone. Mountain lions are protected in Illinois, and it is illegal to harm, harass, or kill them unless they pose an immediate threat to people or property, which is rare.
However, if a person encounters a mountain lion and the animal does not flee immediately, it is best to stand tall and wave their arms, throw stones or other objects, or shout. Do not run – leave the area slowly without taking your eyes off the animal.
Members of the public can report large carnivore sightings at wildlifeillinois.org.
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