While Iowa does not host an established breeding population of mountain lions, transient individuals are occasionally confirmed within the state’s borders. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tracks and verifies these occurrences.
Current Status of Mountain Lions in Iowa
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirms there is no evidence of a self-sustaining, breeding population of mountain lions within Iowa. However, the state regularly experiences confirmed instances of transient individuals. The DNR verifies these sightings using tangible evidence like DNA analysis, trail camera photographs, and physical evidence such as tracks or carcasses from roadkills and shot animals.
Confirmed mountain lion sightings have increased in recent years. For example, the Iowa DNR confirmed 12 separate sightings in 2022 and 11 in 2023. While over 2,000 mountain lion sightings have been reported to the DNR since 2010, only a small percentage are officially confirmed after investigation. Since 2001, the DNR has documented nearly 50 confirmed or highly probable sightings across Iowa, with over half occurring since 2019.
How Mountain Lions Arrive in Iowa
Mountain lions typically arrive in Iowa through dispersal, primarily involving young males. These cats leave their natal territories in search of new areas to establish themselves and find mates. The primary source populations for dispersing mountain lions are established groups in states west of Iowa, including the Black Hills region of South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming.
These animals generally travel west-to-east, often utilizing natural corridors like river systems or moving through fragmented habitats. For instance, one collared mountain lion traveled over 700 miles across three states, spending nearly two months moving through southern Iowa. Another collared male traveled 300 to 400 miles from north-central Nebraska into northwest Iowa, demonstrating the extensive distances these dispersing cats can cover.
Distinguishing Mountain Lions from Other Wildlife
Accurately identifying a mountain lion can be challenging, as they are sometimes mistaken for other common Iowa animals like large domestic cats, bobcats, or coyotes. Mountain lions possess distinct physical characteristics. Their tails are notably long and thick, often reaching two to three feet in length, and typically feature a black tip. In contrast, bobcats have very short, “bobbed” tails.
Mountain lions are significantly larger than bobcats, with adult males weighing 100 to 150 pounds and reaching lengths of up to eight feet, including their tails. Females are also substantial, weighing 55 to 90 pounds and extending to nearly seven feet. Their coat color is uniformly tawny or tan, without spots, distinguishing them from the spotted, reddish-brown fur of bobcats. Mountain lions have rounded ears without tufts, unlike the tufted ears of bobcats. Black panthers are not native to Iowa or North America; mountain lions are consistently tawny in color.