Many people wonder if mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, still roam the forests of West Virginia. The state’s rugged terrain and abundant wildlife seem to offer suitable habitat, prompting frequent questions about their presence. Understanding their historical presence, the official stance of wildlife agencies, and unconfirmed public sightings helps clarify their current status.
Historical Presence and Extirpation
The eastern cougar (Puma concolor couguar) once inhabited West Virginia. They were common throughout the state, particularly in the Allegheny Mountains. Historical records indicate their widespread presence, with some counties even offering bounties. Randolph County, for instance, paid bounties for 73 eastern cougars between 1852 and 1859.
Their decline and extirpation (local extinction) from West Virginia were primarily due to human activities. European settlement caused significant habitat loss as forests were cleared for agriculture and development. Hunting also played a major role, driven by fear of livestock and bounties. The last confirmed wild mountain lion in West Virginia was killed around 1887 or 1901; a 1937 sighting suggests slightly longer persistence. By the 1950s, the species was considered extinct in the state, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the eastern cougar extinct in 2011, removing it from the endangered species list in 2018.
Current Official Stance and Lack of Evidence
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) and other wildlife authorities state no established, breeding populations of mountain lions currently exist in West Virginia. The official stance is that mountain lions are extirpated from the state, meaning they no longer exist in the wild as a self-sustaining population. This conclusion is based on a lack of verifiable physical evidence: consistent scat, tracks, den sites, confirmed carcasses, or photographic evidence from trail cameras.
While individual transient mountain lions could pass through West Virginia, these are typically young males dispersing from established western populations seeking new territories. Such transient animals are rare and do not indicate a resident breeding population. The WVDNR maintains that confirmed mountain lion occurrences in the state are most likely escaped or released from captivity. For example, two western mountain lions captured in Pocahontas County in 1976 were determined to have been transported and released.
Understanding Unconfirmed Sightings
Despite the official stance, reports of mountain lion sightings in West Virginia are common. Though people believe they see these large cats, such sightings are almost always misidentifications. Common animals mistaken for mountain lions include bobcats (West Virginia’s only native wild feline), large domestic cats, coyotes, or even large dogs.
Misidentifications often occur due to brief glimpses, poor lighting, or unfamiliarity with local wildlife. For instance, a bobcat’s short tail can be difficult to discern in a quick sighting, leading to confusion with a long-tailed mountain lion. The WVDNR acknowledges these reports but emphasizes verifiable evidence (DNA from hair or scat, or clear photographic proof) has not supported a wild population.