Cougar Sightings in Michigan Are Up, No One Knows Why

Cougars once roamed freely throughout much of North America but were exterminated in many states by the 20th century, including Michigan, which killed off its last wild specimen in 1906. In recent years the predator has been seen again on the Upper Peninsula and wildlife experts wonder if the species can re-establish a breeding population here.

The first confirmed sighting was in 2008, with a few more here and there showing up each year until 2024, when 23 of the big cats were spotted in Michigan. So far this year, 21 cougars have made an appearance, mostly on trail cameras, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

“We’re not talking large numbers; we’re still talking individual cats. At this point, it’s just a novelty, and it’s neat that we have a large carnivore on the landscape,” DNR’s large-carnivore specialist Brian Roell told Michigan Live.

It’s believed that the cougars are migrating east from the Dakotas, through Minnesota, to get to the Upper Peninsula. While the numbers are scant, big-cat lovers were excited in March of this year when two cubs were caught on camera in Ontonagon County.  Their presence suggests there could be a breeding population finding purchase here. 

Elsewhere , cougars are found in 16 states in the west and southwest (plus Florida). Laws to protect the species vary from state to state, with California the most protective and Texas (which still considers the cats “varmints”) the least. Cougars are endangered in Michigan, so it’s illegal to hunt, trap, or even track them to their dens. The fact that they now have dens in the Great Lake State is something.

The cougar (Puma concolor), goes by many names: puma, mountain lion, catamount, panther. In fact the cat holds the Guinness record for the animal with the greatest number of names – more than 40 in English alone.

Photo credit: Michigan Department of Natural Resources