The Missouri Department of Conservation has confirmed a photograph of a mountain lion taken by a trail cam on private land in DeKalb County December 12.  The Department’s Mountain Lion Response Team has confirmed a number of widely-scattered sightings across the state.  Some may be of the same animal, but without DNA evidence there’s no way to know for sure.

The Department says there’s no evidence of a breeding  mountain lion population in Missouri.  Mountain lions are protected by law, but Missouri’s wildlife code allows people to protect themselves and their property if they feel threatened.