2/06/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - Last year was a historic year for cougar sightings in Michigan, and the Department of Natural Resources is investigating potential causes.  Brian Roell, a wildlife biologist with the DNR, telling a down state Michigan TV station Wednesday that Michigan was once a natural habitat for cougars, with the last known cougar killed in the eastern U.P. in the early 1990s.  Cougars were confirmed back in the state in the late 2000s. Since then, the DNR has been monitoring them closely.  Roell noted that the DNR is still utilizing between 1,200 and 1,300 cameras to estimate wildlife populations, including cougars.  The increase in sightings is partly attributed to an increase in trail cams used by Michigan residents.  A significant milestone was reached last year when the DNR documented a cougar reproduction for the first time in many years.  The DNR encourages anyone who sees a cougar to report it through their web-based program. There, photos can be submitted and reviewed by the DNR’s cougar team.