Overview
- The photo shows an adult cougar followed by two roughly year-old juveniles in central Ontonagon County, captured Dec. 6 and verified by the DNR on-site and by its cougar team Dec. 15–16.
- This confirmation involves the same kittens first photographed in March without an adult, providing evidence of a breeding female and the first verified reproduction in the region in more than 100 years, possibly even east of the Missouri River.
- The sex of the juveniles remains unknown, and DNR biologists say the young are likely to stay with their mother through this winter and potentially into next year.
- Since 2008 the DNR has confirmed about 168 cougar sightings in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with detections rising alongside expanded monitoring that now includes more than 1,300 DNR-operated trail cameras.
- Cougars are listed as endangered in Michigan, making it illegal to hunt, harass, or attempt to locate dens, and officials urge the public to keep distance and report evidence to the DNR.