For the third time in two weeks, a cougar has been spotted in northeastern Wisconsin.
Wildlife expert said that this latest big cat sighting in Marinette County is likely a lonely male from the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Three trail cameras have recently recorded cougars in Langlade and Marinette counties.
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Dave MacFarland, the state Department of Natural Resources large carnivore specialist, said the sightings are becoming an annual event in Wisconsin with 40 confirmed cases since 2008. MacFarland said DNA show they’re coming from the same area.
“All of that evidence points back to these being animals dispersing out of the black hills of South Dakota and also every animal for which genetics have been obtained have been males,” he said.
MacFarland said once mature, some head east in search of females.
“So, the dispersal ability of these animals is incredible and they seem to be passing through on their journey,” he said.
In 2011, a cougar tracked in Wisconsin was killed by a car more than 1,000 miles away on a highway in Connecticut.
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