Mountain Lion Spotted in Frisco, Texas Backyard: Watch Video

by Junna Base November 8, 2024

A mountain lion was spotted in Texas last week, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed. This is the latest reported sighting of the animal, which has previously sparked disagreements between residents and wildlife officials over how often they are spotted in the state.

The big cat was spotted in the backyard of a home in west Frisco, near Lake Lewisville, TPWD said in a news release Thursday, adding that the sighting was reported on Monday, Nov. 4.

The wildlife department. said it is actively monitoring the area and residents have been urged to report any further mountain lion sightings or encounters to local authorities or TPWD Urban Wildlife Biologist Rachel Richter at [email protected].

“It is likely that this mountain lion is just passing through and will not be in the area for an extended period of time,” the wildlife agency said.

The video of the mountain lion was captured around 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 1 by the backyard camera of a Frisco resident, Brent Blackwell, he told CBS News Texas.

“When I woke up, I got a notification, so I checked it and just looked at it again, a bobcat,” Blackwell told the media outlet. “I zoomed in and you could see the really long tail. And then I thought to myself: That’s not a bobcat.”

Mountain lions in Texas

Mountain lions, also called cougars, cougars, panthers, painters and catamounts, are found throughout the Trans-Pecos of Texas as well as in the scrublands of South Texas and parts of the Hill Country, according to the Texas Wildlife Department’s website. Dispersal individuals can travel long distances and far from Areas with resident populations appear.”

Local residents have long argued that mountain lions are a common sight in Texas, but the wildlife department says most potential sightings ultimately involve bobcats, foxes and even domestic cats.

Mountain lions rarely cause conflict with humans and attacks are extremely rare, “with fewer than 30 confirmed fatal mountain lion attacks on humans in North America in the past 100 years,” TPWD said, adding that there is no record of a confirmed fatal attack on one Mountain lions give person of a wild mountain lion in Texas.

Mountain lions typically have light, tawny fur that can appear gray or almost black depending on lighting conditions, the department said.

What to do if you encounter a mountain lion?

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recommends the following tips to keep in mind if you encounter a mountain lion:

Do not approach the lion.
Don’t run. Stay calm and move slowly.
Face the lion and remain in an upright position. Back away slowly and do not turn your back to the lion.
Immediately pick up all children from the floor.
Do everything you can to appear taller. Don’t crouch or try to hide.
If the lion becomes aggressive, throw stones, sticks, or anything you can get your hands on.
If the lion attacks, defend yourself. Resistance can drive away lions.

Saman Shafiq is a featured news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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