The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), after several days of tracking and observing a mountain lion on the west side of Springfield, made the decision today to tranquilize the animal and transport it to a sanctuary specializing in the care of large felines.
Wildlife experts and public safety officials from IDNR, the Illinois Conservation Police, the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services (USDA WS), and the Springfield Police Department determined that the mountain lion, or cougar, that had strayed into residential and business areas of Springfield posed an imminent threat to residents and property and therefore needed to be removed.
The animal, which is wearing a GPS collar and has made its way to Illinois from Nebraska, was detected by satellite in western Springfield Wednesday morning. IDNR officials conferred with their counterparts at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, who declined an offer to send the mountain lion back to their state.
USDA WS staff tranquilized the mountain lion around noon on Friday and will be transporting the animal to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center (ERFC), a 260-acre feline sanctuary in Center Point, Indiana that provides homes and veterinary care for large and exotic cats.
“Thank you to our hardworking wildlife staff and conservation police and our partners across federal, state, and local agencies for handling this difficult situation with the professionalism and care that this beautiful wild animal and concerned residents deserve,” said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. “I am confident that the mountain lion will be protected and cared for at its new home. I also want to thank the families of Springfield for being cautious and keeping their distance while our experts worked to ensure the safety of the community and the mountain lion.”
Earlier this week, IDNR notified residents living west of Veterans Parkway in Springfield that the mountain lion was detected on the western edge of the city and was being tracked by researchers.
The cougar is a young male that has been moving through central Illinois the past couple weeks. It was captured and fitted with a GPS collar by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission in November 2021 as part of an ongoing research project. IDNR continues to cooperate with biologists and researchers in Nebraska. It previously was detected in McDonough and Cass counties.
Although classified as an animal of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on their Red List of Threatened Species, mountain lions are protected in Illinois, and it is unlawful to harm, harass or kill them unless they pose an imminent threat to a person or property, which rarely occurs. While cougars can travel great distances, they tend to avoid conflict with humans.
For more information about mountain lions in Illinois, visit https://bit.ly/ILmountainlions.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:44 pm:
-Makes me kinda sad for the poor fella.-
Yeah, having to go to Indiana. /s
- FormerParatrooper - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:47 pm:
Sad indeed. Being taken to a sanctuary will keep him safe, but he will be rather contained. He has done a lot of traveling to end up there.
- DuPage Saint - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:47 pm:
Democrats fault. State no longer a place for mountain lions. Everything leaving because of Safe T Act
Vote for Bailey he will give a gun to everyone to protect themselves and freedom and liberty for the lion or maybe that is DeVore
- H-W - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:47 pm:
Makes me sad too. A sanctuary by another name is a zoo or “reservation.” It is not in the nature of cougars to exist in limited spaces. They need freedom to roam, lest the become dangerous.
I actually saw one bound across the four-lane highway, right in front of my car, when I was driving from Cannon Beach, OR to Portland.
It scared the begeezes out of at first. Afterwards, I felt blessed. One of the most rarely seen animals, and I got to see one.
- The Real Downstate - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:48 pm:
Better to be alive in IN than put down in IL because he got too close to people. The outcome here could have been far worse for him.
- flea - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:48 pm:
I WISH THEY COULD TURN IT LOOSE IN THE SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST
- The Real Downstate - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:49 pm:
==Democrats fault. State no longer a place for mountain lions.==
When will JB pledge to bring back mountain lions?! And bring the mountains too!
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:51 pm:
Wild things only frighten the tame…let the Cowboys ride.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:58 pm:
As a young man, I spent many years fishing for giant bass…at night…I’ve had the privilege to observe two big cats of unknown origin and three nocturnal sightings of Bobcats hunting/drinking at the waters edge…made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 3:58 pm:
“I WISH THEY COULD TURN IT LOOSE IN THE SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST”
Been many rumors and unconfirmed sightings of cougars and even large black cats in places like Columbia, Millstadt, Maeystown, Edwardsville, and Troy.
- duck duck goose - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 4:03 pm:
The cougar is leaving Illinois–and it’s all the Pritzker Administration’s fault.
- Nearly Normal - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 4:20 pm:
Poor guy. Came all that way for a date and he gets sent to a wildlife sanctuary.
- Blue Dog - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 4:21 pm:
as reported months ago, I sent a trail cam picture of a big kitty to IDNR.its the second cat I have seen in Jackson county in my lifetime. both not far from the Chester confirmed kill years back.
- ChrisB - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 4:24 pm:
Another story about fleeing this state for Indiana. It’s probably because of the high property taxes.
/s
- Don't Worry, Be Happy - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 4:27 pm:
Can we put him on a bus to Texas?
- Almost the Weekend - Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 4:28 pm:
In the words of Kim Foxx we call this ML-Bond