Mountain Lions in Kansas

A woman in Olathe, Kansas, claims that a mountain lion killed her chihuahua and despite other reports in the Kansas City area, and what appears to be hard evidence of a Lawrence, Kansas, cougar, the official line is that mountain lions have been extinct in Kansas since 1904. I'm curious about why so many game officials seem hell bent on denying the existence of mountain lions in their states, even going so far as to engage in blatant cover-ups, as in the case of the tragic killing of Leigh Ann Cox (scroll down) in Alabama in 2003. Click here for more info on mountain lions (puma concolor), as well as tips on how to stay safe if you encounter one.