DNR offers 'the scoop' on pumas in Iowa

by Larry Kershner

News Editor

A couple of years ago, area residents were stirred up over the reports of mountain lion sightings in Henry County.

Such sightings have been growing in the past few years around Iowa, and Ron Andrews, a DNR fur specialist, last night confirmed for local residents that there are currently an estimated 10 free-ranging pumas throughout the state.

Andrews was the guest speaker on mountain lions in Iowa, sponsored by the Henry County Conservation Board.

He emphasized that the DNR "has not introduced mountain lions into Iowa." In fact, he said Iowa was never an original range for the big cats, even during the pre-settlement era.

Andrews presented a map showing confirmed sightings around the state, with a conspicuous absence of Henry County and all of southeast Iowa having no confirmed sightings.

"That doesn't mean they haven't been here," he said, "it just means there are no confirmed sightings." It takes a definite track, authentic unretouched photo, scat or a lion's body to constitute a confirmed sighting.

Andrews offered insights from where the lions are ranging into Iowa and why they are coming here.

Surprisingly, none of the 75 people attending last night's event claimed to have seen a cougar in this county; or shared any knowledge of a sighting here.

Andrews said the most likely scenario for a growing presence of cougars in this state has been young males pushed out of the Black Hills by that region's saturation of pumas. The Black Hills, he said, have 150-200 cougars, which is near the limit of what the area can support.

You can read the entire story in out March 22, 2006 issue.