Cougar cubs spotted in Michigan for first time in over a century

Michigan has not seen cougar cubs in over a century, but recent photos have officially broken the dry spell. On March 13, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources released images showing a pair of tiny cougars in Ontonagon County in the Upper Peninsula.

While cougars are native to Michigan, they were hunted to extinction by the early 1900s. Although there have been 132 sightings of adult cougars since 2008, all were believed to be transient males from western states. The local population has not recovered, and cougars remain on Michigan’s list of endangered mammals.

On March 6, two motorists in the western Upper Peninsula spotted what they thought were kittens from a different wild cat species.

One of the motorists took pictures of the kittens, initially believed to be bobcats. After further examination, wildlife experts confirmed that the kittens were actually 7-8 week old cougars. It is likely that their mother gave birth to them in the state, as cougars typically stay with their mothers until they are around two years old.

Wildlife biologist Brian Roell expressed concern for the vulnerable young cougars, emphasizing the importance of leaving them undisturbed. While their exact whereabouts are not being disclosed, the sighting of the cubs marks a significant event as the first documented modern cougar births in the western Great Lake states.

Roell reminded the public to refrain from harassing or hunting cougars, as it is illegal to interfere with them or seek out their dens. The hope is that the recent photos of the cougar cubs signal the beginning of a resurgence of cougars in the area.