All Six Cougar Sightings Recorded in Upper Peninsula for 2020. For a full listing of help desk numbers, field offices, and other ways we can help, please visit our contact page. On December 23, 2021, cougar tracks were found in southwestern Delta County. On April 24, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. Cougars were native to Michigan, but . DNA analysis of two cougars poached in the U.P., for example, showed the animals likely dispersed from their established populations in South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska, said Cody Norton, large carnivore specialist with the DNR, earlier this year. Six separate cougar sightings have been confirmed this year in Michigan, according to a mid season update from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). What else does your team do once you have that information? SEE ALSO: Blueberries, Blackberries, Peaches, Raspberries: Heres Where to Find U-Pick Farms in Michigan. However, the team was able to investigate the report after the owner of the photo saw a newspaper story about it and contacted DNR. And yeah, if anything like that happened, you'd want to report it to the local authorities or the DNR as soon as possible. January 26, 2021 Im Sophia Saliby. While mountain lions are native to Michigan, their numbers diminished to almost zero by the 1900s. DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE WINTER FUN HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more. That's the highest number reported since 2008, when the DNR first began tracking cougars. Zudiema has now documented 1,100 cougar sightings in upper Michigan since the 1950s and believes authorities are trying to hide a growing cougar population. In February, DNR Wildlife Division staff confirmed two of those reports after finding cougar tracks while conducting the U.P. A record 11 sightings came from the Upper Peninsula in 2019. "Cougars have lost substantial portions of their historical range, yet increased sightings suggest potential for re-establishment in some regions," researchers from the Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin departments of Natural Resources and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry wrote in a recent article in Since then, the big cats have occasionally been spotted by residents as they wander in from states like the Dakotas. You wouldn't want to play dead, like you might with like a brown bear. michigan wolf sightings maphow to turn off second alert on iphone calendar. Is there a population of wild cougars in Michigan? Today, the Cougar Fund says, viable breeding populations are found in only 16 states after centuries of attempts to exterminate them that began during the European colonization of North America. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. No evidence of cougars has been found. This is about 127 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County. Never run from a cougar or other large carnivore. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. On January 26, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in central Delta County. By. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Ten sightings of the animal have been confirmed by the agency this year, all in the Upper Peninsula, compared with a peak of 15in 2020. The photo was taken in Dickinson County in Michigans Upper Peninsula in September. And so, in those two poached carcasses we've had that we were able to do DNA analysis on and try to figure out what populations they were from, they most closely related to populations in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming. Thoseare relatively new devices that trigger themselves when there is movement in the frame, andarestrapped to trees and left there. Sophia Saliby: This is All Things Considered on WKAR. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. All rights reserved. If youre shopping for top products on the market, here are the best 14 products the BestReviews Testing Lab loved in March. Feb. 20, Schoolcraft County: DNR members identified cougar tracks while conducting wolf track surveys. Norton: Yeah, and it's really similar to most of our large carnivore species in Michigan and like you said, very, very, very unlikely that it will happen with a cougar, but if you did encounter a cougar or other large carnivores, it's best to, you know, face the animal [and] make yourself look big and as intimidating as possible. Cougars have been known to migrate 20 to 50 miles. On March 31, 2021, a trail camera video was captured of a cougar in northeast Dickinson County. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE CAMPING HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. The media . Use the button above to visit the target shooing and archery home page, or go directly to one of the pages below: Find snowmobile trail permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. 2020 sightings On February 19, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in Delta County while conducting wolf track surveys. Use the button above to visit the hunting home page, or go directly to your area of interest below: Find ORV license and permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. At one point, the animal roamedall 48 contiguous states in the United States, according to the Cougar Fund, a Wyoming-based nonprofit that educates people on and advocates for the protection of these animals. 0. michigan wolf sightings map. Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more. More than a 100 years ago, native cougars, or mountain lions, disappeared from Michigan. That gives you an idea of how rare they are.. "It was a cover-up initially related to . The six confirmed reports of cougar sightings in Michigan have all been recorded in the Upper Peninsula for 2020: one each in Chippewa, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft Counties and three in Delta County. Based on documented evidence, cougars observed in Michigan could be escaped or released pets. In the 13 years that the state's cougar team has been searching, they have verified at least 65 reports of a cougar traversing the Michigan wilderness. salad dressing joke knock on fridge. It has been illegal to own a cougar or large exotic cats such as African lions, leopards, and jaguars, in Michigan since 2000. Your source for Local information & breaking news across southeast Michigan plus 4Warn Weather providing you with accurate forecasts so you can plan your day. Nick Meyer, Originally Published Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below. DNR officials say the greater use of cameras by hunters and others is adding to the increased number of cougar reports. Click the box above to learn more about Michigan's state forests. Most of our sightings of cougars which weve been able to confirm, which is about 40 different sightings, have been with only one exception, in the U.P., Pepin added. On Why Theyre Recording More Cougar Sightings In Recent Years, On Why Its Not Likely Cougars Would Reestablish Themselves In Michigan, On What To Do In The Rare Chance You Encounter A Cougar. This is about 36 miles from where the January 12 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. Four additional sightings were confirmed after residents submitted trail camera photos of cougars. So, it is likely that we are just having more people turn in their photos. The state agency does not know how many of the sightings in recent years were unique, according to Pepin, but assume that several reports may involve the same animal or animals based on some studies as well as the close geographical locations of some sightings. We asked BestReviews cooking expert Andrea Boudewijn for her best recommendations for Mothers Day gifts. The last photo was taken on Nov. 7 in southwest Barage County, about 145 miles from where the Oct. 13 photos were taken. State park, historic sites and visitor center events. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. After an increase in sightings around 2008, the state Department of Natural Resources created a team to keep track of animals. We did have some data a couple of years ago where the DNR has all kinds of animal studies going on out in the woods with game cameras. MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources released trail camera photos and other pictures as evidence of cougar sightings in the Upper Peninsula from 2020. "DNA analysis of two cougars poached in the U.P., for example, showed the animals likely dispersed from their established populations in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska," said Cody Norton, large carnivore specialist with the DNR. There have been periodic reports of cougar sightings since that time from various locations in Michigan. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. This is about 50 miles from where the May 13 photo was captured in Dickinson County. With so many people having trail cameras in the woods this time of year, catching an animal on camera is more likely. A trail camera captured this photo of a cougar on May 24 in western Marquette County. According to Cody Norton, DNA analysis confirms cats have dispersed into the state from Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming (likely traveling through Minnesota and northern Wisconsin). There's not a lot of trees [and] not a lot of great habitat for cougars. Cougars, have been eliminated from about two-thirds of their historic range. Those states include South Dakota, Wyoming and northwest Nebraska, from which Pepin said genetic testing showed some of the cougars found in Michigan likely came. Volunteer Opportunities; | On Wednesday, the DNR shared an update of the latest crop of cougar sightings in Michigan, and their findings show just how isolated and wide-ranging the animals have truly become. Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists confirmed that a trail camera photo of a mountain lion strolling through an open area of woods is legit. are coming from the West of us, the Minnesota, the Dakotas, that Kind of thing.. Cougar sightings are on the rise in Michigan. So basically, we do, you know, everything we can to make sure that when we get a photo or evidence from a cougar that it did take place in Michigan, and that everything lines up. These populations are over 900 miles from Michigan. The animals are protected by state law as an endangered species. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Local 4 News every morning. The tail is long and thick with a black tip. Classes & Workshops; Raise your arms. This is about 50 miles from where a July 20 video was captured in Baraga County. July 13, Ontonagon County: A trail camera photo was captured of a cougar. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ever Wanted to Own an Island? Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. At least 6 cougars have been spotted in Michigan so far this year. All of the sightings were in the Upper Peninsula. On June 1, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Mackinac County. But what should people do if they do see a cougar? Whitmer Signs Historic New Legislation to Curb Gun Violence in Michigan. This is about 160 miles from where October 13 photos were captured in Mackinac County. He's been with WDIV since 2013. 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