ALERT: Wild Cougar Cubs In Michigan For First Time In A Century

Once a native species in Michigan, cougars were hunted to extinction in the 1900's. However, an upward trend of cougar sightings has been reported in Michigan over the last few years. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed cougar cubs have been discovered living in the Michigan wild for the first time in over 100 years.

ALERT: Wild Cougar Cubs In Michigan For First Time In A Century

According to the Michigan DNR, 132 adult cougars have been verified in the state since 2008 but DNA testing has confirmed only male cougars to date. With no confirmed female cougars in the state, there was no reason to believe that cougars were breeding in Michigan. While there is still no confirmed sighting of a female cougar, two cougar cubs have been found for the first time in a century.

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The DNR says state biologists spotted cubs, believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old, on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula. A resident was also able to capture photos of the cubs on March 6th. The cubs were spotted and photographed without their mother. Female cougars typically stay with their cubs for the first two years of life and cubs are highly dependent on their mothers.

The DNR says the cubs have not been spotted since March 6. “Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now. We don’t know where they are or if they’re even alive. Mother Nature can be very cruel.”

Cougar sightings can be logged in the DNR’s Eyes in the Field reporting system.