On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Mackinac County. This is about 10 miles from where August 30 photos were captured in Luce County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, were native to Michigan but were wiped out in the early 1900s.
They are now listed as an endangered species in Michigan and have been spotted on 76 occasions since 2008. That number doesn’t necessarily mean there are 76 cougars in Michigan.
Most of the sightings have been in Michigan’s upper peninsula, but the first confirmed sighting in the lower peninsula was in Clinton County in 2017.That’s if you don’t count that one time my mother swore she saw one in Manistee County -- a completely unconfirmed sighting late at night but I choose to believe it happened.
Anyone with physical evidence of a cougar (scat, tracks, or carcass) should make sure not to disturb the area and keep that physical evidence in tact. You can report the sighting to the DNR and include photos.
Cougars are known to be solitary and secretive animals, rarely seen in the wild. They’re known for their strength, agility and ability to jump. Cougar attacks on humans are extremely rare.
It’s believed that the cougars seen in Michigan are escaped or released pets, or transient cougars from breeding populations in North and South Dakota. It has been illegal to own a cougar or large exotic cats such as African lions, leopards, and jaguars, in Michigan since 2000.
If you encounter a cougar in the wild you should face the animal, stand tall, wave your arms and talk in a loud voice. Never run from a cougar. If children are with you, pick them up so they can’t run. If attacked you should fight back, do not play dead. Cougars who are posing an immediate threat to humans can be killed.
Want to report a cougar sighting? Here’s how
If you believe you spotted a cougar in Michigan you can use this online form to report the sighting to the DNR.
The form will ask for some of your personal information, the location you spotted the cougar, the habitat type, the day you saw the cougar, and any other details about the sighting. You are able to upload photos if you have any.
On July 7, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Gogebic County, northwest of Ironwood. This is about 5 miles from where a DNR trail camera captured a photo of a cougar on Oct. 1, 2018. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Aug. 17, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar on Hiawatha National Forest Land in Delta County. This is about 170 miles from where the July 7 photo was captured. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Sept. 3, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Gogebic County. This is about 20 miles from where the Sept. 6 photo was captured in Ontonagon County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Sept. 2, 2019, a trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. This is about 4 miles from the Delta County photo taken on August 17th. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Sept. 6, 2019, a DNR trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in Ontonagon County, northeast of Bergland. This is about 40 miles from where a trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in Baraga County on July 7, 2019. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Sept. 18, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in northern Delta County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Sept. 22, 2019 a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, north of Saint Jacques. This is about 11 miles from where the Aug. 17 photo was captured in Delta County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Oct. 6, 2019 a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southern Marquette County. This is about 14 miles from where the Sept. 18 photo was captured in northern Delta County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Nov. 8, 2019, a trail camera captured multiple photos of a cougar in western Schoolcraft County. This is about 48 miles from the southern Marquette County photo taken on October 6. The animal was identified as a male because the scrotum and black hair around the penis sheath opening are visible in two of the photos. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Nov. 15, 2019, a trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in eastern Schoolcraft County. This is about 25 miles from the western Schoolcraft County photo taken on November 8th. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On Nov. 20, 2019, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Ontonagon County. This is about 12 miles from where the Sep 6th photo was captured in Ontonagon County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
2020 sightings
On February 19, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in Delta County while conducting wolf track surveys. This is about 40 miles from where tracks were found in Schoolcraft County on February 20, 2020. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On February 20, 2020, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southeastern Schoolcraft County while conducting wolf track surveys. This is about 12 miles from the Schoolcraft County trail camera photo taken on November 15, 2019. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On April 24, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County, on the Stonington Peninsula. This is about 45 miles from where DNR staff found tracks on February 20th in Schoolcraft County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
May 17, 2020: On May 17, 2020, a DNR trail camera captured a photo of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. This is about 72 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County (photograph not available).
On June 1, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Mackinac County. This is about 127 miles from where the April 24 photo was captured in Delta County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On June 6, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Chippewa County. This is about 18 miles from where the June 1 photo was captured in Mackinac County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On July 12, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Delta County. This is about 165 miles from where the June 6 photo was captured in Chippewa County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On July 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in Ontonagon County. This is about 120 miles from where the July 12 photo was captured in Delta County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. This is about 180 miles from where the July 17 photo was captured in Ontonagon County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On August 30, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southcentral Luce County. This is about 1 mile from where another photo was captured on August 30 in Luce County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in northern Mackinac County. This is about 5 miles from where another photo was captured on October 13 in Mackinac County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On October 13, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Mackinac County. This is about 10 miles from where August 30 photos were captured in Luce County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On October 31, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in central Houghton County. This is about 160 miles from where October 13 photos were captured in Mackinac County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On November 7, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southwest Baraga County. This is about 34 miles from where an October 31 photo was captured in Houghton County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)On November 27, 2020, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar near Gulliver Lake, in Schoolcraft County. This is about 120 miles from where a November 7 photo was captured in Baraga County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
2021 sightings
January 12, 2021: On January 12, 2021, a security camera captured and tracks were found from a cougar in Southwestern Schoolcraft County. This is about 120 miles from where a November 27, 2020 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County.
On January 26, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in central Delta County. This is about 36 miles from where the January 12 photo was captured in Schoolcraft County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)
March 31, 2021: On March 31, 2021, a trail camera video was captured of a cougar in northeast Dickinson County. This is about 30 miles from where the January 26 photo was captured in Delta County.
On May 12, 2021, DNR staff identified cougar tracks in southern Luce County while conducting field work. This is about 115 miles from where the March 31 video was captured in Dickinson County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)On May 13, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in eastern Dickinson County. This is about 125 miles from where tracks were found on May 12 in Luce County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)On May 24, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in western Marquette County. This is about 50 miles from where the May 13 photo was captured in Dickinson County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)On June 25, 2021, trail camera photos were captured of a cougar in northern Houghton County. This is about 47 miles from where a May 24 photo was captured in Marquette County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)On July 19, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in the Black River area of Republic, Marquette County. This is about 50 miles from where a June 25 photo was captured in Houghton County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)
July 20, 2021: On July 20, 2021, a trail camera video was captured of a cougar in southeastern Baraga County. This is about 10 miles from where a July 19 photo was captured in Marquette County.
On September 16, 2021, a trail camera photo was captured of a cougar in southern Dickinson County. This is about 50 miles from where a July 20 video was captured in Baraga County. (Michigan Department of Natural Resouces)
December 22, 2021: On December 22, 2021, a security camera captured video of a cougar in southwestern Delta County. This is about 95 miles from where a November 12 photo was captured in Baraga County.
December 23, 2021: On December 23, 2021, cougar tracks were found in southwestern Delta County. This is about 3 miles from where a December 22 video was captured in Delta County.
2022 sightings
There haven’t been any updates on 2022 sightings on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ website yet this year.
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