National

Nine times mountain lions were spotted across the US. See the stories

Stories by Real-Time News journalists, with AI summarization

From a young, emaciated mountain lion regaining strength and learning to hunt before its release in Colorado, to two stranded cubs being rescued from a dam's spillway just in time, these stories show mountain lion's nature.

Take a look at the stories below.

A pair of young mountain lion siblings were rescued from the dam spillway they were trapped in just before water rushed in, photos and video show. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region

NO. 1: TRAPPED MOUNTAIN LION CUBS RESCUED JUST BEFORE COLORADO DAM RELEASES TORRENT OF WATER

Photos and video show the daring rescue. | Published April 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger

A new mountain lion was spotted on the western edge of Griffith Park — the same location where the celebrity cougar P-22 was once photographed prowling in the darkness with the iconic Hollywood sign looming behind him. Screenshot from Vladimir Polumiskov's video on X, formerly known as Twitter

NO. 2: NEW MOUNTAIN LION IN ICONIC LOS ANGELES PARK BRINGS HOPE AFTER FAMOUS COUGAR’S DEATH

The newcomer was spotted in the same area where beloved celebrity cougar P-22 was once photographed under the Hollywood sign. | Published May 22, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger

A “majestic” creature defied the odds and made such an incredible recovery, he was able to return home “where he belongs” in the southern California wilderness. Photo by San Diego Humane Society

NO. 3: WATCH ‘MAJESTIC’ CREATURE GET RELEASED BACK INTO CA WILDERNESS AFTER 7-MONTH RECOVERY

The young creature was given a “second chance at life” after he was found on the side of a highway after a car hit him. | Published July 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger

Jackie Winston of Cambria captured video on her Ring camera of a mountain lion strolling past her front door early on Monday, July 29, 2024. | Screengrab from video by by Jackie Winston

NO. 4: LARGE MOUNTAIN LION CAUGHT ON CAMERA STROLLING THROUGH YARD IN CALIFORNIA

“I’m kind of a day person, so I’ll take the day and they can have the night,” said resident Jackie Winston. | Published July 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kathe Tanner

A young mountain lion was found emaciated and weak in Colorado, but regained its strength and learned to hunt at a wildlife rehabilitation facility.| Screengrab from Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region| Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southwest Region

NO. 5: ‘EMACIATED’ YOUNG MOUNTAIN LION GAINS STRENGTH AT WILDLIFE REHAB. SEE IT LEARN TO HUNT

The cougar was able to develop its hunting skills in aspen grove terrain to prepare it for hunting in the Colorado wilderness. | Published July 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger

A family dog in southern California chased a young male mountain lion up a tree on Nov. 18, 2024. Photo from Tustin Police Department

NO. 6: FAMILY DOG CHASED A CAT UP A TREE IN CALIFORNIA, BUT IT ‘WASN’T JUST ANY CAT.’ SEE IT

Video shows officials carrying the animal with a tarp, tending to it and loading it into a vehicle. | Published November 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Sara Schilling

A mountain lion seemed perplexed by a fake reindeer Christmas decoration outside a Wyoming hotel, video shows. Teton Village Mix on Instagram

NO. 7: ‘VERY CONFUSED’ MOUNTAIN LION INVESTIGATES REINDEER CHRISTMAS DECORATION IN WYOMING

“That young lion really wanted that deer to be real.” | Published December 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger

Screenshot of Yellowstone Insight's video on Facebook

NO. 8: APEX PREDATORS SPOTTED IN EXTREMELY RARE YELLOWSTONE SIGHTING. SEE ‘SPECIAL MOMENT’

“Amazing! When I first started visiting the park I was told that they were there but (were) like ghosts because even Rangers never saw them.”​ | Published February 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger

One of two cougar cubs photographed in Michigan, the first confirmed sightings in about a century. Michigan Department of Natural Resources

NO. 9: WILD MOUNTAIN LION CUBS FOUND IN MICHIGAN FOR FIRST TIME IN CENTURY. SEE THE BABIES

“It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states.” | Published March 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Rhiannon Saegert

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.