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from the Wisconsin DNR
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/rbne ... asp?id=786

News Release

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
South Central Region Headquarters - Madison
3911 Fish Hatchery Rd Fitchburg, WI 53711
Phone: (608) 275-3266 TDD: 711

For Release: March 26, 2008

Contact(s): Adrian Wydeven, Mammal Ecologist, Park Falls: 715-762-1263
Doug Fendry, Wildlife Supervisor, Fitchburg: 608-275-3230
Tami Ryan, Wildlife Supervisor, Milwaukee: 414-263-8710
Michael Schwartz, Geneticist, U.S. Forest Service: 406-542-4161

Milton cougar of North American origin
MILTON, Wis – Genetic testing indicates that a cougar observed last January near here is apparently a male of North American origin, the Department of Natural Resources announced today.

Earlier genetic analysis by the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula, Montana, confirmed that the animal spotted east of Milton in Rock County was a cougar. DNA was obtained from blood left by a cut on the cougar’s foot as it ran through an old barn.

“The Milton cougar is of North American origin and based on genetically sampled local populations, is most similar to South Dakota cougars,” said DNR mammal ecologist Adrian Wyedeven, Park Falls.

“But because not all cougar populations have been adequately sampled,” he continued, “it could still be from some other population in North America.”

There was no component of South American origin in the cougar’s genetics, which would have indicated a cougar of captive origin.

“While the genetics of North American origin and possible connection with South Dakota cougars does not eliminate the possibility of captive origins, it does make it more likely that the cougar is completely wild,” said the ecologist.

The Montana lab also examined a hair sample found close to some cougar tracks near Elkhorn in Walworth County on March 7. This hair sample turned out to be from a domestic cat.

“The tracks at the (Elkhorn) location were still adequate to indicate a cougar had been in the area, the hair sample was just not from this cougar and although we were unable to demonstrate genetically that the Elkhorn and Milton cougars are the same animal, at this point it seems to be the most logical assumption,” said Wydeven.

The last known wild cougars in Wisconsin disappeared during the early part of the last century. Although reports of cougars have been received around the state over the ensuing years, none have been documented as wild cats since the early 1900s. There have been several instances of captive cougars in Wisconsin escaping into the wild before recapture or disappearance. Cougars have been documented in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri.

DNR will continue to monitor movements and observations of possible cougars in southern Wisconsin. People who spot a cougar or its tracks should report them to the nearest DNR office or directly to the DNR cougar sightings web site.

Wildlife biologists remind citizens not to approach the animal but stop, stand tall, do not run and pick-up small children. Take digital photos of the animal and its tracks if at all possible and use something such as a tape measure to show the size of the track. Also record the time and location of the observation.

The following counties are in the South Central Region: Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk.

The public affairs manager for the DNR South Central Region is: Greg Matthews: phone - (608) 275-3317.

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/article ... 345403.txt

Hills mountain lion may have migrated to Wisconsin
By The Associated Press Saturday, March 29, 2008
28 comment(s) Normal Size Increase font Size
MADISON, Wis. –- Genetic testing shows a large cat seen in the Milton area is likely the first wild cougar confirmed in Wisconsin in a century, and it probably migrated from South Dakota, state officials say.
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The wildlife experts from the Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that genetic analysis from a blood and urine sample gave evidence the cougar apparently came from the Black Hills population of the big cats, migrating some 700 miles to southern Wisconsin.

The researchers, led by geneticist Michael Schwartz, said the DNA showed the cat came from North America. If the genetic composition had been similar to that of a South American cougar, it would have indicated the cat had been captive.

DNR mammal ecologist Adrian Wydeven said the genetic analysis and the fact the cougar shies away from humans point to the cat being wild.

Recent pawprints found in Walworth County are believed to be from the same cougar spotted 23 miles away in the Rock County town of Milton in January, Wydeven said.

The pawprints measured by the DNR lead him to believe the cougar is a young male, weighing about 120 pounds. Although the prints were of different sizes, Wydeven said the smaller print was likely from a hind paw.

According to DNR records, the last wild cougar disappeared from Wisconsin in the early 1900s.

Wydeven said the wild cougar population could be on the rebound, just as the wolf population was in the 1970s when wolves from Minnesota began migrating into Wisconsin and establishing packs.

The DNR estimates Wisconsin now has around 550 wolves.

Emily wrote:http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2008/03/29/news/local/doc47eb99b89d427900345403.txt

Hills mountain lion may have migrated to Wisconsin
By The Associated Press Saturday, March 29, 2008
28 comment(s) Normal Size Increase font Size
MADISON, Wis. –- Genetic testing shows a large cat seen in the Milton area is likely the first wild cougar confirmed in Wisconsin in a century, and it probably migrated from South Dakota, state officials say.
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The wildlife experts from the Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that genetic analysis from a blood and urine sample gave evidence the cougar apparently came from the Black Hills population of the big cats, migrating some 700 miles to southern Wisconsin.

The researchers, led by geneticist Michael Schwartz, said the DNA showed the cat came from North America. If the genetic composition had been similar to that of a South American cougar, it would have indicated the cat had been captive.

DNR mammal ecologist Adrian Wydeven said the genetic analysis and the fact the cougar shies away from humans point to the cat being wild.

Recent pawprints found in Walworth County are believed to be from the same cougar spotted 23 miles away in the Rock County town of Milton in January, Wydeven said.

The pawprints measured by the DNR lead him to believe the cougar is a young male, weighing about 120 pounds. Although the prints were of different sizes, Wydeven said the smaller print was likely from a hind paw.

According to DNR records, the last wild cougar disappeared from Wisconsin in the early 1900s.

Wydeven said the wild cougar population could be on the rebound, just as the wolf population was in the 1970s when wolves from Minnesota began migrating into Wisconsin and establishing packs.

The DNR estimates Wisconsin now has around 550 wolves.

If they conclude it could of comecfrom dakodda/it also could of come from Montanna/ wasent there a huge fire that burnt down over a 1000 miles of Montanna forest lands and n. diakodda lands in the past 10 yrs ? Wered those lion all go when the forest burnt up ?Maybe they relocated on a long walk anf some are now finding themselves back in areas they once roamed a long time ago !?

editorial about long ago WI sighting from the Madison Capital Times
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/279896

Dave Zweifel: Yes, it was a cougar -- 20 years ago
Dave Zweifel — 4/02/2008 6:02 am
The news that it was indeed a wild cougar that had been sighted in southern Wisconsin a few months ago has created a big stir among outdoor types around the state.
After examining footprints and other evidence, wildlife biologists confirmed last week that the animal seen by veteran hunter and trapper Kevin Edwardson of the town of Milton in Rock County was a cougar, the first one believed to be sighted in Wisconsin in a century.
Edwardson got involved when he was called by his neighbor in mid-January after the neighbor had discovered some tracks in the snow that looked like they came from a big cat.
He followed the tracks to a hayloft, where a large cat jumped toward him and bounded out of a hole in the wall and ran off into the woods.
The hunter said the animal was so graceful that he was in awe.
He and the neighbor called the Department of Natural Resources, which sent out a warden and biologist to take a look at the tracks. They took pictures and sent them to biologists in the West, who immediately replied that the tracks appeared to be from a female or young male cougar.
But they still needed to do some investigating to be sure, plus checking to determine if perhaps there was a cougar missing from captivity somewhere in the area that would account for its presence. All the facts are in now, and it's official — there's a real wild cougar probably living in the woods near Milton.
Well, I could have told them a long time ago that there are cougars in Wisconsin. I was met with uproarious laughter from my National Guard colleagues when I told them about it, but one of my sergeants and I spotted a cougar running across Highway 21 just east of Fort McCoy roughly 20 years ago.
Dennis Connor and I were in a jeep driving to a training exercise when this big yellow cat with a long swinging tail bounded across the road in front of us and headed off into the heavy woods north of the highway.
We looked at each other and agreed it was a cougar (or mountain lion as they're known in some places.)
And in case you were wondering, it was 5:30 in the morning, too early to have been influenced by anything stronger than Army coffee.
When we got back to the post in late afternoon, we told everyone in the unit about it. Nonsense, we were told. It was probably just a big dog or some other large animal that we confused with a cougar. There are, after all, no cougars in Wisconsin, haven't been since the very early 1900s.
Now I'm more convinced than ever that Sgt. Connor and I weren't seeing things after all.
Dave Zweifel is editor emeritus of The Capital Times.

Dave Zweifel — 4/02/2008 6:02 am