# Cougar cubs spotted in Michigan for the first time in more than 100 years



Photo by: WXYZ

The Michigan DNR confirmed the first cougar cub sightings in Michigan in more than 100 years this week.

## For the first time in more than 100 years, cougar cubs have been verified in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

State biologists confirmed Wednesday the existence of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the Western Upper Peninsula.

The spotted cubs are believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old and were verified from photos taken on March 6 by a local resident.



The Michigan DNR confirmed the first cougar cub sightings in Michigan in more than 100 years this week.

The Western Great Lakes states he's talking about are Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The cubs were spotted and photographed without their mother, and cubs are highly dependent on the mother and often stay with them for the first two years of life.

Cougar cubs are native to Michigan, according to the DNR, but most appear to be transient animals and come into Michigan from western states.



The Michigan DNR confirmed the first cougar cub sightings in Michigan in more than 100 years this week.

The cubs have not been spotted since March 6.

Those young cougars are very vulnerable right now, and mother nature can be very cruel.

Cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, meaning it's illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den.

While the DNR has verified 132 cougar reports, DNA testing has only confirmed male cougars to date.

This year alone, there have been seven confirmed cougar sightings via photograph and video, including the two cubs. In 2024, there were 15 confirmed sightings.

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