A trail camera in northwest Missouri recently caught a rare glimpse of a mountain lion, according to News-Press Now. It’s one of only four confirmed sightings in the region over the past four years.

The shy and elusive big cat was photographed in Buchanan County, which is just north of Kansas City, Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation recently verified the September footage showing the mountain lion slinking around the woods at night. Hundreds of mountain lion reports are submitted to the MDC each year, but the department says fewer than 1% are ever confirmed.

“Mountain lion sightings are not very common in northwestern Missouri, but they do happen on rare occasions,” MDC media specialist Erin Woodiel told News-Press Now.

Experts believe most sightings in the state are of lone male cougars following the Missouri River corridor, searching for new territory. Genetic testing from previous encounters suggests many of these big cats travel east from western states.

News-Press Now reported that the MDC has verified around 120 mountain lion reports between 1996 and 2024. It has confirmed more than a dozen so far this year.

Mountain lion sightings have become more common in recent years thanks in part to trail cameras. These incognito cameras offer a candid glimpse into the activity of mountain lions as they stealthily move through wild landscapes.

Mountain lions — also known as cougars — are considered a threatened species. The Mountain Lion Foundation estimated that 20,000 to 40,000 remain in the United States. The foundation stated that the greatest danger to the long-term survival of the species comes from “human mismanagement of the natural world.”

Once widespread across North America, mountain lion populations were decimated in the 1800s and early 1900s. The MLF said that several states put bounties on cougars, which encouraged people to kill the big cats.

Thanks to conservation efforts, their numbers have slowly rebounded in parts of the western U.S. — but the species still faces serious challenges. The National Wildlife Federation reports that “unsustainable hunting, habitat destruction, and conflicts with livestock” continue to threaten cougars.

Mountain lions are increasingly feeling the impacts of our changing climate. The Mountain Lion Foundation noted that prolonged droughts have reduced the availability of prey, and wildfires have wiped out large stretches of natural habitats. These big cats have been pushed into new areas — and sometimes closer to people — as they search for food and territory.

In the unlikely event of a close encounter with a mountain lion, experts have a few recommendations. Stand with others to seem as large as possible, make loud noises to disrupt a mountain lion’s hunting instinct, and slowly create distance. Remember to be confident in your movements.

“As with any wild animal sighting, we remind the public to Keep Wildlife Wild and to not approach or attempt to interact with or feed the animal,” Woodiel told News-Press Now. “If it doesn’t feel threatened or cornered, it won’t bother the public and will continue on its way.”

If you spot a mountain lion — especially if you capture it on camera — report the sighting to your local conservation agency. Sightings can help scientists track the species’ movements and better protect both wildlife and people.

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