Black bears, gray wolves, and mountain lions (also known as cougars or pumas) were once common in the Midwest. As our cities, towns, and farms grew, populations of these animals declined due to habitat loss and unregulated hunting.
Today, there are no known breeding populations of these large predators in Illinois, though occasionally individual animals will move through looking for new territory.
In recent years, there have been multiple confirmed sightings of mountain lions, black bears, and wolves in Illinois. However, these species are all still very rare visitors in the state.
If you have recently seen a mountain lion, black bear, or gray wolf in Illinois, please report the sighting below to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
More information about large carnivores in Illinois.
The Wildlife Illinois website was authorized by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) in partial fulfillment of project W-147-T. The website was developed by the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, 2wav, and the IDNR in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services and University of Illinois Extension to provide research-based information about how to coexist with Illinois wildlife.
