(WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The chief wildlife officer for the state of Illinois is asking people to leave a mountain lion, spotted roaming in the western and west-central parts of the state, alone.
Mike Wefer of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said the mountain lion has traveled a long way, after researchers in Nebraska briefly caught it and put a tracking collar on the cat last year.
“We’ve had sightings in McDonough County and confirmed sightings in Cass (County)...Hopefully people will leave it alone enough that it can make it through and, not only for just the animal’s sake, but be kind of interesting for the folks in Nebraska’s research project to see where this guy goes,” Wefer said.
Wefer said mountain lions are protected under Illinois law, and it's illegal to hunt or harass them unless the cats are a threat to people or property.
Another mountain lion was struck and killed by a vehicle on I-88 in DeKalb County earlier this month.
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Wefer said there have only been eight confirmed sightings of mountain lions in Illinois over the last 20 years.
The top wildlife officer for the state of Illinois has a request for anyone who spots a mountain lion seen roaming in the western and west-central parts of the state: leave it alone.
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