This is about 40 miles from where tracks were found in Schoolcraft County on February 20, 2020. Make your contribution today to fund more vetted news reports throughout mid-Michigan! Updated: 6:52 PM EDT August 12, 2020. He clarified that doesnt mean there are 40 animals but it is 40 different reports the DNR has been able to confirm. This is about 95 miles from where a November 12 photo was captured in Baraga County. On April 24, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. The Michigan DNR has confirmed 51 cougar sightings since 2008. Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket. Its important to note the predatory cats range widely, so photos and sightings of the same cougar can be made in a number of locations. On November 7, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southwest Baraga County. According to Michigan Fox affiliate TV-6, a DNR team of biologists that investigates cougar reports had seen the trail cam photo, but initially couldnt confirm the source or location o fwhere it was taken. He's been with WDIV since 2013. Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below. Just a day later, a trail camera captured a cougar in Ontanogon County, 120 miles from the picture on July 12. There's not a lot of trees [and] not a lot of great habitat for cougars. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Local 4 News every morning. salad dressing joke knock on fridge. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE SNOWMOBILE HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Want to find tasty morel mushrooms in the forest? Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. The DNR Wildlife Division staff confirmed two of those reports after finding cougar . And yeah, if anything like that happened, you'd want to report it to the local authorities or the DNR as soon as possible. Saliby: You've mentioned a couple of different ways that your team monitors and tracks cougars, like the trail cameras [and] getting photos from residents. itar proof of citizenship. 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. This is about 180 miles from where the July 17 photo was captured in Ontonagon County. Cougars are an endangered species in Michigan and are protected by law. In 2020, the DNR has 12 confirmed reports of cougars in Michigan, all in the Upper Peninsula. At least one confirmed sighting of a Michigan mountain lion has been made in the Lower Peninsula. MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released the latest information on confirmed cougar sightings in the state. One of the things the DNR is trying to find out is whether cougars are going to establish themselves here. On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Mackinac County. 0:41. Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. State park, historic sites and visitor center events. Saliby: Is it a good thing or something that we should be concerned about, seeing more cougars in Michigan? law enforcement, legislation, rules and regulations, Accessible recreation opportunities in Michigan, All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups, Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR, information about volunteer and donation opportunities. The species, which have the largest relative hind legsof all the members of the cat family and can jump up to 18 feet from the ground, were once the most widely distributed land animal in the Western Hemisphere, according to the U.S. If you were to be attacked by any of the large carnivores we have in Michigan, you'd want to fight back. On December 23, 2021, cougar tracks were found in southwestern Delta County. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. To see the the Michigan Department of Natural Resources page on cougars, visit here. Just $1 per month , There's been an increase in cougar sightings in the Upper Peninsula over the last three years, By The last known wild cougar taken legally in the state happened over 100 years ago in Newberry, the hometown of the Tahquamenon Falls. If this trend continues, the Upper Peninsula appears poised to have a modern record for cougar sightings in 2021, topping 15 in 2020. July 13, Ontonagon County: A trail camera photo was captured of a cougar. Nick Meyer 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. "It was a cover-up initially related to . DNR confirms cougar sighting near Lansing, Rare cougar photographed by Upper Peninsula trail camera, Cougar spotted in Michigan county is DNRs 40th confirmed sighting, Chicago men rescued near Drummond Island were found clinging to overturned boat. Since 2008 there have been 55 confirmed reports of cougars in Michigan and . In February, DNR Wildlife Division staff confirmed two of those reports after finding cougar tracks while conducting the U.P. Or, they could be transient or dispersing cougars from the nearest known breeding populations in North and South Dakota. State park, historic sites and visitor center events. The tail is long and thick with a black tip. This includes three from Dickinson County, two from Marquette County and one each from Baraga, Delta, Houghton, Luce, and Schoolcraft counties. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. After an increase of sightings around 2008, the state Department of Natural Resources created a team to keep track of animals. 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. All of the sightings were in the Upper Peninsula. More than a 100 years ago, native cougars, or mountain lions, disappeared from Michigan. For more information about recent confirmed sightings or to submit a cougar report, visit Michigan.gov/Cougars. Saliby: Why are we seeing more cougar sightings in recent years? So, we'll go out and actually do a site investigation, we'll go to that location where, you know, if there's a trail camera where that trail camera was. Raise your arms. Four additional sightings were confirmed after residents submitted trail camera photos of cougars. It was the highest amount of cougar sightings in one year over. Cougars, have been eliminated from about two-thirds of their historic range. The DNR said last year that sightings could be increasing because more people are using trail cameras and reports, in general, are more frequent. No evidence of cougars has been found. Then, a day later, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southeastern Schoolcraft County, about 40 miles from the tracks found the day before, and 12 miles from a trail camera photo taken in November 2019. UPPER PENINSULA, Mich. (WJMN) - The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released trail camera photos and other pictures as evidence of cougar sightings in the Upper Peninsula from 2020. is a contributing writer for The Gander and a longtime journalist who has covered everything from pro sports teams to politics, inspirational community stories, and much more. February 20, 2020 Minnesota Minnesota does not have an established breeding population of mountain lions. Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more. Click the box above to see all our locations, or click the individual location below. Norton: Yeah, so you know, just because we get a photo of a cougar doesn't mean that it necessarily came from Michigan or that it hasn't been altered in some way. On July 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Ontonagon County. This is about 47 miles from where a May 24 photo was captured in Marquette County. This is about 120 miles from where the July 12photo was captured in Delta County. 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. Are there pet cougars or exotic big cats like leopards and African lions in Michigan? We asked BestReviews cooking expert Andrea Boudewijn for her best recommendations for Mothers Day gifts. 2021 Confirmed Cougar Sightings January 12, 2021 On January 12, 2021, a security camera captured and tracks were found from a cougar in Southwestern Schoolcraft County. When a DNR trail camera in 2018 captured a photo of a cougar in Gogebic County, Pepin added, "it marked the first time the department had caught a cougar on more than 3 million game camera images collected since 2009.". 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. For a full listing of help desk numbers, field offices, and other ways we can help, please visit our contact page. 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. A few people who owned cougars or large cats prior to 2000 are still permitted to own these animals. On May 17, 2020, a DNR trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. Michigans DNR says cougars in the state have migrated from the West. Though originally native to Michigan, cougars were driven from the states landscape due to several factors, including habitat loss, around the early 1900s. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. This is about 120 miles from where a November 7 photo was captured in Baraga County. Its part of the DNRs effort to monitor cougar populations in the Upper Peninsula and elsewhere in the state when sightings occur. Pepin says the reports help them understand behavior as well. Former Michigan GOP Lawmaker Who Lobbied Against Lobbyists is Now a Lobbyist, Law and Policy Cody Norton is a large carnivore specialist with the DNR. Published Oct 21, 2021 10:35 AM EDT. We've had DNA samples, and then sometimes just from trail cameras, we can actually get a good clear view and determine that the animal is a male, but we've never been able to document a female or kittens or any sign of reproduction. On March 31, 2021, a trail camera video was captured of a cougar in northeast Dickinson County. On April 24, a trail camera caught a cougar in Delta County, about 45 miles from where the tracks were found on Feb. 20. You wouldn't want to play dead, like you might with like a brown bear. Anything you can do to make them second guess whether you're a prey species or not and you should not be tangled with. Most of the reports Ive seen have been in the Western Upper Peninsula, Pepin continued. No evidence has been found of a breeding population in Michigan, Pepin said. 0. michigan wolf sightings map. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 7 2023 Apr. All . Saliby: Cody Norton is a large carnivore specialist with the DNR. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE ORV HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below: Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. Saliby: Could a cougar population ever reestablish itself in Michigan? Example video title will go here for this video. In addition to full time positions, we also hire many seasonal positions including park workers, interpreters, rangers, wildlife workers and more. By. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed six sightings of cougars in 2020. Your source for Local information & breaking news across southeast Michigan plus 4Warn Weather providing you with accurate forecasts so you can plan your day. Adult cougars have a body length about 5-6 feet long from nose to base of tail. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. This is about 10 miles from where August 30 photos were captured in Luce County. So, it is likely that we are just having more people turn in their photos. Public Meetings; Calendars: Cougar sightings are on the rise in Michigan. Four additional sightings were confirmed after residents submitted trail camera photos of cougars. Its also important to note that the reports could be multiple sightings of the same animal, the DNR said. That's the highest number reported since 2008, when the DNR first began tracking cougars. All except one were spotted in the Upper Peninsula. Delta, Luce and Mackinac counties tied for first place, each with three. 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. Also, five sets of cougar tracks were confirmed and 16 sightings were "highly likely." Bob McNally Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. The highest number of Michigan cougar sightings has occurred during the past three years. Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. A trail camera captured this photo of a cougar on May 24 in western Marquette County. (WXYZ) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported 13 confirmed cougar sightings across the state in 2020. This was about 120 miles from where the July 12 photo was captured in Delta County. 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. A Fireball in Michigan Skies in 1965: What Really Happened? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Ever Wanted to Own an Island? The animals are protected by state law as an endangered species. In its midseason update, the Department of Natural Resources said all of the sightings of the mysterious cats have been in the Upper Peninsula: one each in Chippewa, Ontonagon and Schoolcraft counties and three in Delta County. Every so often we have numerous verifications due to a similar situation., (Find a complete rundown of the 12 sightings in 2020 right here), From 2018: Cougar captured on DNR camera in Michigans Upper Peninsula. are coming from the West of us, the Minnesota, the Dakotas, that Kind of thing.. So, you look at the reports, now, towards you know, the last couple of years, the vast majority of those come from trail camera photos or cell phone pics of tracks or scat. What to do, Wyoming police investigate body found in Grand River, Student to face charges for threat to school district, $1 million grant supports mental health at Davenport, Reports: Man drinking before crashing into lake, Amish family grateful for support after buggy crash, Cedar Point dropped its gate price this season, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. All of the sightings were in the Upper Peninsula. Is there a population of wild cougars in Michigan? 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. Confirmed sightings of the animal, also known as a puma or mountain lion, hit double digits for the first time in 2019, and the Michigan. 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But what should people do if they do see a cougar? "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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); MICHIGAN Cougar sightings are hotly debated in Michigan, despite the fact that theyve been spotted dozens of times since 2008, and were originally native to Michigan before being scattered across the state, mostly due to habitat loss. Those who live in an area where cougars may be present are encouraged to keep their pets indoors or in a covered outdoor kennel, especially at night, and to install outside lighting, preferably with motion sensors. But thats mostly because sightings are relatively rare theres been about 55 total in the last 12 years, and all but one of those officially recorded have been in the Upper Peninsula. We'll take, you know, GPS coordinates for that location. DNR officials say the greater use of cameras by hunters and others is adding to the increased number of cougar reports. For a full listing of help desk numbers, field offices, and other ways we can help, please visit our contact page. We have literally shot millions of images and not come up with a cougar on any of the game cameras. winter wolf track survey. Cougars are primarily nocturnal although they can be active during the day. Please view our directory listingfor general contact information. A Fireball in Michigan Skies in 1965: What Really Happened. 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. Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. This situation is not unique to Michigan, and has been occurring in many other mid-western and eastern states as well. And in 2020, Michiganders reported seeing cougars 14 times, the most since the team formed. Cougar sightings are on the rise in Michigan. There have been 11 cougar sightings in Michigan in 2021, as of mid . This is about 34 miles from where an October 31 photo was captured in Houghton County. Should you encounter a cougar: Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com is whether cougars are an endangered species West of us the. Where an October 31 photo was captured in Baraga County above for tips and tricks fill. 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