If you have a small animal or even a large one, you may have been warned this summer to not let your pet outside without watching for a wandering mountain lion. As many know, there were multiple mountain lion sightings in the Omaha Metro area, and whether you found out about this local big cat from your parents, a TikTok, or even this article, you know it’s an uncommon occurrence. Although most are safely assuming that this big cat has made its way out of town, some questions and concerns still remain in citizens’ minds.
In the span of 11 days, there were four separate cougar sightings confirmed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The first doorbell footage of the mountain lion was captured on July 24 near 114th and Q. Since then the homeowner of the house that captured the initial Ring camera footage has said that after reviewing more footage she found evidence of four additional visits from the cougar since July 24.
Although having multiple drop-ins from a wild big cat might seem frightening, Nebraska Wildlife Rehab said this cat was behaving “perfectly.” According to a statement released Aug. 3, “He (the mountain lion) is avoiding humans, traveling at night, and has not hurt or caused any damage. He is moving slowly and cautiously to avoid conflict and keep himself safe.”
Other confirmed sightings occurred on July 28 near Mockingbird Drive and Interstate 80, and on Aug. 1 at Aspen Loft Apartments on M Street, both in relatively close proximity to the first sighting. The fourth confirmed spot was near Papillion Creek and 96th Street on Aug. 2, roughly five miles from the big cat’s visit to Aspen Apartments.
There were multiple reported sightings that were not confirmed by Nebraska Game and Parks in the same timeframe. There was a reported sighting at Zorinsky Lake on June 30, but no visual evidence was taken and Nebraska Game and Parks did not find any footprints. However, there reportedly had been previous indicators of a predator in the park. Brian Askew, who walks his dogs at Zorinsky, told KETV 7 News that he’d seen deer legs and other evidence of a carnivore along his routine path.
Right behind our school, at Walnut Creek Recreation Area, was another reported sighting of the mountain lion on Thursday, Aug. 3. Nebraska Game and Parks ruled the sighting was “probable but unconfirmed” because of a lack of definite evidence of the animal.
Although it might seem odd that a wild animal would want to spend time in the suburbs, there are multiple reasons the mountain lion would stay. Kolleen Haldeman, the zoology and animal care teacher at Zoo Academy, said, “Exploration might be (a factor). Perhaps it found a food source in that area that enticed it to come back. It also might just be in a rotation of its territory… because they actually have a fairly large territory.”
Despite the worries that might come with the presence of a mountain lion in our backyards, it’s important to remember that these animals are just trying to live their lives. Wild animals lived here far before we ever staked our claim in the area, and it is now our job to maintain a livable environment for the continued survival in a habitat we took from them.
