The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed that two cougar kittens spotted earlier this year in the Upper Peninsula are still alive and living with their mother.

DNR wildlife biologist Brian Roell tells us the cougars were first noticed in early March, but they were only about two months old and their mother was nowhere in sight, raising concerns about the kittens’ survival. But then they were spotted again, this time on a trail camera on December 6 in Ontonagon Township.

“This is historical that it’s the first time in well over a hundred years that we’ve been able to confirm reproduction east of the Mississippi and possibly even east of the Missouri River,” Roell said. “I mean, certainly the first time for Michigan.”

Native to Michigan, cougars were essentially hunted out of the state by the early 1900s. But Roell says they started reappearing nearly 20 years ago.

“Our first confirmed one was 2008 in the Upper Peninsula. And they really kind of increased as time went on. But I take that with a little bit of a grain of salt because also the number of trail cameras kind of coincides with when the number of confirmed cougars have increased in Michigan.”

Roell adds cougar sightings have increased each year since 2019, but again, the number of trail cameras has also increased. He says because the animals are still present in Michigan in very small numbers, it isn’t necessary for the DNR to form a management plan.

Roell advises the public not to disturb the animals.