Trail cam captures Michigan cougar kittens. What DNR is saying about cubs

Two cougar cubs spotted last spring in Ontonagon County were seen again this month, walking along a snowy trail with an adult cougar in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Specialists confirmed the pair of young cougars was the same cubs seen last spring; the first time cougars were known to have reproduced in Michigan in more than a century.

“This is a historic confirmation for Michigan since it is the first time in over 100 years that verified cougar reproduction has occurred east of the Mississippi River and possible even east of the Missouri River,” DNR large carnivore specialist Brian Roell said in a Dec. 18 press release.

Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources confirmed on Dec. 16 that footage of two juvenile cougars and one adult cougar shows the same cats seen in March 2025. The footage, captured by a private landowner’s trail camera, was taken on Saturday, Dec. 6, in central Ontonagon County, located in the western UP.

“The kittens’ chances of survival are actually pretty high because just like bears, cougars invest a lot of their energy into their young,” Roell said. “So these kittens will stay with their mom through this winter and possibly even into next winter. They already have a leg up, seeing as how they’ve been with her for a year now.”

When first seen in the spring, the mother was not spotted, leading wildlife officials to wonder whether the juvenile cats would survive.

When were 2 cougar cubs first spotted in Michigan?

On March 6, 2025, two cougar cubs were found in the UP’s Ontonagon County and photographed by a local resident.

At the time, they were estimated to be 7 to 9 weeks old.

Cougar kittens typically stay with their parent for about two years before venturing out on their own, the DNR said.

Kitten cougar cub seen in a photo taken March 6, 2025, in the Upper Peninsula. (USA Today Network)

What do researchers know about the cougars?

Researchers did not confirm the exact age or sex of the cougars in the release.

Roell mentioned his surprise that the cougars had not been captured on video since March because the UP contains more than 1,300 trail cameras for that exact purpose: wildlife surveillance.

“The interesting thing is, where were they for nine months?” Roell asked. “That’s a mystery.”

Is it normal to see cougars in Michigan?

Yes. Cougars are native to Michigan, and 168 have been spotted in the UP since 2008. A record number of sightings were confirmed in Michigan in 2025.

“This isn’t an animal that is ever going to become very numerous,” Roell said. “They’re going to remain rare on the landscape regardless of whatever happens with them here in Michigan.”

The Michigan DNR reported 26 cougar sightings as of mid-November in 2025, the highest number in 17 years of tracking the animal, state data shows. The DNR has reported dozens of cougar sightings in recent years, nearly all in the Upper Peninsula. Residents also have reported sightings throughout the Lower Peninsula.

Cougars were hunted in the early 1900s in Michigan so their numbers significantly decreased, however, sightings have been increasing each year since 2019 — along with the number of cameras, according to the release.

When have cougars been spotted before in Michigan?

The Michigan DNR tracks confirmed cougar sightings in Michigan and includes photos of many incidents.

Here is a list of confirmed cougar sightings throughout the state in recent years:

• 2008 – 3 sightings; Delta, Marquette counties
• 2009 – 3 sightings; Chippewa, Mackinac, Schoolcraft counties
• 2010 – 1 sighting; Menominee County
• 2011 – 7 sightings; Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, Ontonagon counties
• 2012 – 7 sightings; Baraga, Marquette, Menominee counties
• 2013 – 4 sightings; Luce, Marquette, Schoolcraft counties
• 2014 – 4 sightings; Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac counties
• 2015 – 6 sightings; Delta, Dickinson, Menominee, Schoolcraft counties
• 2016 – 1 sighting; Dickinson County
• 2017 – 1 sighting; Clinton County
• 2018 – 1 sighting; Gogebic County
• 2019 – 11 sightings; Delta, Gogebic, Marquette, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft counties
• 2020 – 15 sightings; Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Houghton, Luce, Mackinac, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft counties
• 2021 – 14 sightings; Baraga, Delta, Dickinson, Houghton, Luce, Marquette, Menominee, Schoolcraft counties
• 2022 – 15 sightings; Chippewa, Mackinac, Ontonagon counties
• 2023 – 18 sightings; Chippewa, Dickinson, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon counties
• 2024 – 23 sightings; Chippewa, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Mackinac, Menominee, Ontonagon counties
• 2025 – 26 sightings; Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Houghton, Keweenaw, Marquette, Ontonagon, Schoolcraft counties

How to send in potential sightings

Sightings can be logged in the DNR’s Eyes in the Field reporting system.

For the latest information on cougars, including the DNR’s cougar sightings photo page, visit Michigan.gov/Cougar.

Are cougars an endangered species in Michigan?

Yes. Cougars are an endangered mammal in Michigan which means, “it’s illegal to hunt or harass them, which includes trying to locate their den on public or private property,” according to the DNR’s release.

What do cougars eat?

Adult cougars typically prey on deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, and wild sheep, with deer being the preferred and most common prey.

Other prey species, especially for younger cougars, include raccoons, coyotes, rabbits, hares, small rodents, and occasionally pets and livestock (e.g. goats, sheep, and chickens). A large male cougar kills a deer or elk every nine to 12 days, eating up to 20 pounds at a time and burying the rest for later.

Cougars are most active from dusk to dawn, but it’s not unusual for cougars to hunt any time during the day.

What do cougars look like?

Cougars are a large cat species with a tan, beige color white belly and chest, also known as mountain lions.

A cougar typically weighs between 90 and 180 pounds, with a few large males topping 200 pounds. Cougars are tan to brown. Adult cougars have a body length about 5-6 feet long from nose to base of tail.

Contact Sarah Moore @ [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Trail cam captures Michigan cougar kittens. What DNR is saying about cubs

Reporting by Sarah Moore, Jenna Prestininzi and Jalen Williams, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal

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