DEKALB – A mountain lion was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate 88 in DeKalb County on Sunday, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources officials announced. Illinois Department of Natural Resources experts believe it may be the same mountain lion that was captured on a trail camera on private property in Whiteside County in late September. Mountain lions were eliminated from Illinois prior to the 1870’s due to habitat loss and overharvest. Although extremely rare in Illinois, mountain lion sightings have been confirmed in Illinois during the past few decades consisting of younger animals, typically originating from a population in the Black Hills of South Dakota. IDNR is monitoring another mountain lion reported in western Illinois in early October. This animal has a GPS collar that was originally attached in November 2021 by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) as part of an ongoing research project on their mountain lion population.
The animal was transferred by the Illinois State Police to an Illinois Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist and has been delivered to the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana for a full necropsy and DNA analysis. The UIUC analysis will provide valuable information to biologists about the animal, its place of origin, and exploratory movements across the Midwest.
Mountain lions have been protected in Illinois since 2015, and it is unlawful to hunt, kill, or harass them unless they pose an imminent threat to a person or property. The IDNR reminds the public that it is very rare for a mountain lion to pose a threat to people or property. However, if encountered and the animal does not immediately flee, people should stand tall, wave their arms, throw stones or other objects, and yell. Do not run, but slowly back away from the site, keeping an eye on the animal.
