Facebook Post About a Mountain Lion near Marion Isn’t Real [PHOTO]

When a post on social media claims that a mountain lion has been seen on a trail camera in Linn County, people are going to pay attention. Many will share the post out of concern that their pets or livestock could be in danger. Yes, mountain lions are in Iowa, but the latest post claiming one was seen near Marion simply isn't real.

I saw the post earlier this morning on Facebook. I've even had several friends contact me and ask about the mountain lion seen near Marion. Here is the post that has been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. (It looks like the user took the picture down! )

The picture looks like it is from a trail camera, and yes, that appears to be a field of soybeans. But the first red flag in my opinion is those large 'hills' in the background. Some say they are actually mountains. But even if you dismiss that, there is another simple way to find out if the picture is real. A simple Google search. And here is what you find when you do. You find THIS Twitter post from 2020.

Same picture. Same caption. Only the post is from 2020. Heck, the picture says it was taken in 2016! I'm not sure this post is real! But I know that it is NOT in Marion, Iowa.

Yes, it's true that mountain lions, albeit a small number of them, live in Iowa. Some have been seen by hunters. Pictures have been captured on trail cameras. Just not this one.

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