A pair of trail cameras in Michigan's Upper Peninsula recently captured images of a cougar -- or possibly two different cougars -- about 900 miles from the nearest breeding population of the animals. Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
The department said a total five confirmed cougar sightings have been recorded in 2019, and it's unclear whether all of the sightings involve the same animal.
Cougars were once native to Michigan, but the animals were eradicated from the state in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Officials said the cougars spotted in the Upper Peninsula are likely pets that escaped or were released by their owners. They said there is also a chance the cougars migrated from the nearest known breeding population in the Dakotas -- about 900 miles away.
