Cougars Are Appearing in the Midwest

Two weeks ago a cougar was spotted in north Chicago. In 2002, one was shot just north of Kansas City, Kansas. In recent years there have been more spotting of cougars in the urban communities of the Midwest.

The Midwest plains and the hills of the Missouri Ozarks offers everything that a cougar could want. Plenty of wildlife, water, shelter. and refuse that is left out by Midwesterners.

In the 1800's cougars, also known at puma's and mountain lions roamed the Midwestern plains. However, hunters slowly drove them back into the mountain areas and remote areas of the plains. In recent years there have been more sightings of cougars. Some biologists believe that they are young males looking for new territory.

The cougar in Chicago is said to have come all the way from South Dakota. They also think that it might have been the same one spotted in Minnesota some time back. The States of Kansas, Missouri, and northern Arkansas are prime real estate for cougars. There is a lot of area that is not inhabited by humans. The cougar will use a river to move along in the Midwest. Many of these areas are pretty remote. Cougars can move about freely without detection.

Several years ago a cougar was spotted by helicopter as it came into a populated area of California. It is expected to have come from the Sierra Mad re mountain range. It was viewed going through trash cans in search of food. cougars have a great sense of smell and are attracted to left over food that has been thrown out.

In the States of Kansas and Missouri cougar hunting is not allowed. However, farmers can kill them to protect life, livestock, and property. Since 1994, Missouri has reported at least ten confirmed sightings of a cougar. The sightings might be that of the same one but, nobody knows for sure. Cougars are not expected to massively reproduce in the Midwest. They tend to stay away from society. It just could be though, that these young males looking for new territory because they are being driven out from where they have stayed in the last 100 years. The main reason for this is hunting. More and more individuals are hunting in cougar territory.

According to the website, Illinois Issues , there have been cougar sightings in Edwardsville in 1998 and as recently as 03 and 04 along Macoupin creek in Macoupin county, Illinois. In years past Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville use to be home to several cougars. However, they were caged and well cared for. The sightings long Macoupin creek would be in line with the idea that cougars use rivers a corridors of travel. The Macoupin creek area is also very remote.

In the Decatur, Illinois area, there have been sightings of a black cougar. This has been going on since the mid 1950's. However, there are no pictures or have any been shot or captured. Black cougars do exist but, in South and Central America. Not in North America. One rumor has it that two black panthers escaped from a circus train in the early 1900's. That bit of nostalgia has fueled the urban legend in recent times.

Getting back to sighting in Chicago. If there is one, there could be more. When a cougar comes into a suburban area, there is great concern for children and pets. Although some cougars have been tagged and chipped, not all have been. It will be interesting to see if there are more sightings in the near future.

sources; Illinois Issues; by James Krohe Jr.