Connecticut’s Mysterious Mountain Lion Sightings Raise Eyebrows

The question is, 'Do Mountain Lions exist in Connecticut?' According to a Reddit.com user who posted a photo and description during late summer 2025, the answer is "Yes!"

Just saw this tonight on a hike. To protect the anonymity of the mountain lion, I will just say that it was seen in the greater Naugatuck River Valley area. It's hard to capture the true breadth of this creature on an Android phone, but I hope to capture better photos when I upgrade to an iPhone next week. Approximate length was 6 feet head to tail, which leads me to believe it's female.

If you take a look at the photo the Reddit user posted, it looks like a bobcat to me.
According to Hearst CT Media, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Wildlife Division receives around 100 mountain lion sighting reports each year. Still, upon further investigation, a “good proportion” of those sightings turn out to be bobcats.

I checked in with our animal expert, 'Jen the Zoo Keeper,' who you might have heard on our show, and she told me most individuals who think they've seen a mountain lion are actually bobcats. She explained that bobcats are no larger than 30 pounds and have no tail. Just a bobtail. Mountain lions weigh 120–150 pounds and have a long, thick, furry tail.

Mountain Lion Fun Facts!

** Mountain lions aren’t actually lions..... They’re closer to house cats than African lions.
Yes, your purring sofa buddy and a cougar share more DNA than a cougar and Simba.

** They have over 40 different names.

** They can jump 15 feet straight up and 40 feet across......That’s like jumping from the foul line and landing at the free-throw line on the other side.

** They can scream like humans.....Not a roar — a legit, blood-curdling scream.
Imagine hearing that behind your shed at 10 p.m.

** Mountain lions are mostly ghosts.....They avoid humans like we avoid the DMV.
They see you long before you ever see them.

** Their territory ranges can be HUGE.....A single male can roam 150–200 square miles.
That’s basically all of Fairfield County.

** Mountain lions are marathon athletes....They can sprint at 50 mph and still run miles without stopping.