Illinois Mountain Lion Arrested For Loitering, Sent To Indiana

I know. You're probably thinking that deporting an aimless mountain lion to Indiana is a little harsh. I'd be tempted to agree, but keep in mind Illinois gave this cat who wandered all the way here from Nebraska time to move on to other places, but it just didn't happen.

When Illinois wildlife officials were faced with the prospect of a creature who's capable of eating people deciding to become a permanent resident of our state, they made the right call, and decided to make the mountain lion Indiana's problem.

Not amused by any of this. (Getty Images)

Illinois Mountain Lions Have Been Making News Lately

A couple of weeks back, we told you about the mountain lion that was killed by a vehicle in Dekalb County, then shortly afterwards, word began spreading about another mountain lion who had gone out for a stroll in Nebraska and ended up here in Illinois.

With the reception each of these mountain lions has received here in Illinois, it should come as no surprise that Mountain Lion Yelp gives Illinois a 1-star review, and "would not recommend a visit to a friend."

You won't be using that trigger finger again. (Getty Images)

This Mountain Lion Really Seemed To Dig Springfield

But, the problem with that is the mountain lion decided to hang around some residential neighborhoods, which as we all know, is a bad place to linger if you're a carnivorous ambush predator.

It was the big cat's proximity to Springfield homes and pets that proved to be its undoing, because the locals really seemed to be against incorporating this sort of wildlife into their normal landscaping.

The man who ended up with the mountain lion in his backyard (known only as "Mo") had opened his windows to see a police car and another vehicle with an antenna outside his home, and was a bit shocked by what he saw, according to WCIA.com:

That’s when he says he spotted the lion in the bushes.
“I looked under the big bush and was like, holy [expletive]. It’s a lion,” Mo said. “So I ran inside.”
The lion was tranquilized. IDNR officials said they only needed to use one shot with the tranquilizer.

The mountain lion is going to be okay, or as okay as one can be after being deported to Indiana to live one's days at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Center Point, Indiana.