First cougar cubs verified in Michigan in more than a century

[cheeser]

First cougar cubs verified in Michigan in more than a century

This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s.

www.uppermichiganssource.com

ONTONAGON COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) - For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been discovered living in the Michigan wild, according to a press release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

State biologists on Wednesday confirmed the existence of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula. The spotted cubs, believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old, were verified from photographic evidence of the cubs taken March 6 by a local resident.

This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s, said Brian Roell, large carnivore specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Roell, a wildlife biologist for 26 years, led the team that verified the cubs.

“It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said Roell, referring to Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild. It’s something that should be celebrated, that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this.”

 

[Perlodid]

First cougar cubs verified in Michigan in more than a century

This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s.

www.uppermichiganssource.com

ONTONAGON COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) - For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been discovered living in the Michigan wild, according to a press release from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

State biologists on Wednesday confirmed the existence of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula. The spotted cubs, believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old, were verified from photographic evidence of the cubs taken March 6 by a local resident.

This is the first time cougar cubs have been verified since the big cats were hunted out of existence in Michigan in the early 1900s, said Brian Roell, large carnivore specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Roell, a wildlife biologist for 26 years, led the team that verified the cubs.

“It’s pretty exciting, considering this could be the first known cougar reproduction in modern times in the western Great Lakes states,” said Roell, referring to Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. “It really shows that we have a unique place in Michigan where someone has a chance to see a wolf, a moose and a cougar in the wild. It’s something that should be celebrated, that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this.”

Pretty amazing. Always wondered if we would see this someday in the UP. I'll be curious to find out if this is an isolated incident or if we will get more over time. I'm not a cougar expert, but the habitat appears to be there.

 

[Birdbander]

I have a few grouse covers there and although I hope that neither my dogs or I run into one on bad terms, it's nice to know the UP is wild enough to support them.

 

[idelkslayer]

“... that we have the habitat to support an elusive animal like this."

He says next to a photo of a mtn lion cub hiding behind a tire.

 

[3855WIN]

Where did they come from?

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

Yeah so MI DNR officially confirmed photographic evidence now exists of the previously deniable return of this historical species. Officials in all adjacent states will continue to deceive the public with magic shows and diversionary tactics. The ol “escaped pet” official response works well to assuage public fear.

 

[Gellar]

Yeah so MI DNR officially confirmed photographic evidence now exists of the previously deniable return of this historical species. Officials in all adjacent states will continue to deceive the public with magic shows and diversionary tactics. The ol “escaped pet” official response works well to assuage public fear.

I’ve never heard puts or any DNr say escaped pets for mountain lions. They follow rivers and most dna tests show ours come from the black hills in SD.

 

[SAJ-99]

Yeah so MI DNR officially confirmed photographic evidence now exists of the previously deniable return of this historical species. Officials in all adjacent states will continue to deceive the public with magic shows and diversionary tactics. The ol “escaped pet” official response works well to assuage public fear.

The only automatical dismissal is usually from a claim from "the guy at the bar". I also remember someone submitting a photo the IL DNR in the 90's that was of a house cat. It pays to be skeptical.

Mapping a Mountain Lion’s Ghost

The story of one mountain lion’s 800-mile journey to the heart of Chicago offers a window into the Midwest’s changing ecology.

barnraisingmedia.com

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

The only automatical dismissal is usually from a claim from "the guy at the bar". I also remember someone submitting a photo the IL DNR in the 90's that was of a house cat. It pays to be skeptical.

Mapping a Mountain Lion’s Ghost

The story of one mountain lion’s 800-mile journey to the heart of Chicago offers a window into the Midwest’s changing ecology.

barnraisingmedia.com

I agree, lions are like Bigfoot with some people. They just want to visualize that bobcat/housecat/mangy dog into a mountain lion. I grew up there and recall wildlife officials in OH, IN, PA, NY being very skeptical of any account without pictures. There was an OH DNR officer who saw a lion in Shawnee State Park in 2014 and that officially went nowhere. I see Wisconsin now accepts that there are a few mountain lions, yet note no documented breeding.

I recall coyotes going from myth to occasional sighting to nuisance. Bears in OH were once confined to museums like the dinosaur bones. Then that guy at the bar who knows a guy, then a cousin’s game cam. Today beekeepers in parts of OH place electric fencing after too many lost colonies to bears.

 

[Nick87]

The only automatical dismissal is usually from a claim from "the guy at the bar".

Ain't that the truth. However I'm pretty sure we have had a few confirmed cats down state now.

 

[Dave N]

Ain't that the truth. However I'm pretty sure we have had a few confirmed cats down state now.

It's been a long time but my wife maybe saw and heard one here in our yard. Like pulling teeth for a good description but it was the best choice I could make from it. Don't know. We also used to have a semi-local guy that had several big cats in enclosures. It's possible it was one of them. His lion killed him. Lion lion, not mountain lion.

 

[Nick87]

It's been a long time but my wife maybe saw and heard one here in our yard. Like pulling teeth for a good description but it was the best choice I could make from it. Don't know. We also used to have a semi-local guy that had several big cats in enclosures. It's possible it was one of them. His lion killed him. Lion lion, not mountain lion.

Tiger king!?

 

[buckbull]

Ain't that the truth. However I'm pretty sure we have had a few confirmed cats down state now.

We get cats from the Dakota's that follow the missouri River and make it to Western illinois.

 

[Dave N]

My bad. It was a tiger that got him.

https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Illinois-Animal-Keeper-Killed-by-Tiger-10493415.php

 

[Nick87]

My bad. It was a tiger that got him.

https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Illinois-Animal-Keeper-Killed-by-Tiger-10493415.php

 

[Addicting]

We had one on trail cam last spring in SWMI. It spent a month or so here then moved on.

 

[Hydrophilic]

I have a few grouse covers there and although I hope that neither my dogs or I run into one on bad terms, it's nice to know the UP is wild enough to support them.

Rumors of sightings in Osceola county, we have property there. They don't really need much, plenty of them on doorbell cams throughout urban areas in OR.