Michigan DNR confirms cougar sightings in U.P.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed photos of two recent sightings of a cougar in the Upper Peninsula.

DNR officials believe the cat (puma concolor couguar) is probably the same animal in each photo, which were snapped by a trail camera in Mackinac County in November and another with a cellphone in Chippewa County in late October.

This marks the 25th and 26th times that cougar evidence has been verified. There have been evidence or sightings in 11 counties in the eastern U.P., according to Debbie Munson Badini, deputy information officer for the DNR office in Marquette.

“We like to let people know about the sightings so there’s no misinformation out there,” Munson Badini said. “Cougar photos go wild online. These photos have been confirmed as being in Michigan. Many other times we see photos that turn out to be from other states, like Arizona.”

The DNR believes the cougars probably moved into Michigan after traveling east from the Dakotas, where there is an established population.

“They end up in the U.P. looking for a mate,” Munson Badini said.“When they can’t find one, they usually move farther east or go back to the Dakotas. We had one cougar that ended up in Connecticut and was hit by a car. DNA testing showed it was the same animal that was in Michigan earlier.”

Specialists who have studied the photos say it appears to be a male and in pretty decent shape. Biologists have no idea how many of the big cats are in Michigan, but they’re certain there is no breeding population because there aren’t any female cougars.

According to the DNR, one of the photos was taken by a camera phone on private property near Chippewa County’s Raber Township while the other was captured by a trail camera on public land in Mackinac County near Garfield Township.

“Even though we’ve never confirmed any cougar sightings in the Lower Peninsula, we’d like to hear from people who believe they’ve seen one,” Munson Badini said. “If you find some tracks, or take a photo, please let us know. Some people believe the DNR isn’t interested in hearing about cougars, but that’s just not so.”

Since cougars are an endangered species, hunting is not allowed in Michigan unless it is a potentially life threatening situation.

The DNR has established a website offering information about cougars and a form that can be submitted concerning possible sightings.

The site can be found at www.michigan.gov/cougars.

TGreenwood@detroitnews.com

(313) 222-2023