TOMS RIVER, NJ – Rumors of mountain lions roaming New Jersey have persisted for decades, but state officials are once again making it clear: there is no confirmed evidence that the big cats call the Garden State home.

We like website clicks as much as the next guy slinging news on the internet, but there has to be a line between clickbait and substantial truth, people.

Official stance

The New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains that mountain lions, also known as cougars, have been absent from the region since the late 1800s. The eastern cougar population was officially declared extinct in the eastern United States, and biologists say there is no verified evidence of a return.

“Despite periodic reports, we have not documented any physical proof such as tracks, DNA, or confi

See Full Page