Mountain lion in Ohio? ODNR experts respond to viral video

A video that one Bucyrus woman believes shows a mountain lion roaming through a soybean field has sparked debate online. But after reviewing the footage and inspecting the area, the Ohio Division of Wildlife says the animal was most likely a large house cat.

After Lori Adams posted the video to Facebook, it quickly gained traction, prompting viewers to debate whether the animal could actually be a mountain lion. You can view the original Facebook post here.

Adams recorded the video Tuesday evening after spotting what she initially believed was a dog in the distance.

“I was like everybody else. I was like, ‘Is that a golden retriever?'” Adams said. “I’m a cat person. I have a lot of cats, and I’ve studied cats my whole life, and that’s not the movement of a dog.” She said she grabbed her phone and moved closer before becoming convinced she was looking at a mountain lion.

Adams described the animal as muscular with a tan coat, a black-tipped tail and standing roughly three feet tall at the back. She said two other people who were with her also initially believed it was a dog before deciding it wasn’t.

“I know what mountain lions look like, and it was a mountain lion,” she said.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The Ohio Division of Wildlife, however, said evidence collected at the scene tells a different story.

According to the agency, wildlife staff reviewed the video and examined tracks left behind by the animal. Those tracks measured between 3.5 and 4 centimeters in length, which officials said is consistent with a domestic house cat. Mountain lion tracks typically measure between 7 and 8 centimeters.

“Based on the cat’s size relative to the soybeans, as well as tracks observed by a wildlife officer, our staff believes this is a large house cat,” the agency said in a statement.

The Division of Wildlife also noted that mountain lions were extirpated from Ohio by 1850 and are not currently found in the state. Bobcats, which also disappeared from Ohio in the 1800s, have since returned and are now the state’s only wildcat species.

Despite the state’s assessment, Adams remains convinced she saw a mountain lion.

“I’ve known for years that they do come into Ohio, and they’re not seen a lot,” she said. “Things are coming back, and things are migrating back north.”

She added that regardless of what people believe the animal was, she hopes no one attempts to harm it.

“We don’t need to grab guns and pitchforks and go in a mob looking for this poor animal,” Adams said. “It’s just trying to live like everybody else.”

Want to read more? Check out our print publications, (614) Magazine and Stock & Barrel. Learn where you can find free copies of our newest issues here!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY