An official with the state Department of Natural Resources says it’s unlikely a cougar recently spotted in Juneau County will travel very far south in Wisconsin.
A trail camera captured a photo of a cougar earlier this month just north of Mauston. DNR Wildlife Technician Brian Buenzow says there have been no other confirmed sightings of the animal and they believe it’s the only one in the area.
Buenzow says the animal will likely stay in the northern parts of Wisconsin, given the less populated areas. In past cougar sightings in the state though, that has not ended up being the case. Several cougars sighted in the state have continued traveling south and east, with some of the big cats spotted over the past few years showing up in other states. One was killed in Illinois after moving in to the Chicago area, while another made it all the way to Connecticut before being killed in a traffic crash.
DNR experts believe cougars that show up in Wisconsin are from South Dakota and are in search of new territory.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (:59)
WCLO’s Beth Wheelock contributed to this report.
