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.

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.

They are final say there is a MT. lion in Wis .

We know Wydeven Can't count wolves I surprise he could count one MT lion.

The mountain lion population is pretty high and this maybe the reason we are seeing lions moving out of the Black Hills looking for new territory. They killed a Mountain Lion in the Bighorn Mountains in northern Wyoming that had a ear tag from the Black Hills of South Dakota some 225 air miles away. However, for a Tom on the move that is really to far except most of it is open grass land.

Steve

I read a very interesting book that is a Mt Lion management guide for professional wildlife managers. It was put together by a who's who in large predator biology both professional and acedemic. It came out in 2005 and another one is currently in the works. Very interesting read.

It basically states that 90% of the subadult male Mt. Lion disperses. 5% stay local to establish their own territories and the other 5% die from natural mortality.

Mt Lions also have source populations, which can help reestablish Mt. Lions populations. Obviously the Black Hills is a source population. They have documented many Lions from the Black Hills that have roamed 100's of miles. Eastern SD, N. Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, now Wisconsin.

But one has to realize that we are probably getting Mt. Lions migrating in from WY, MT and CO also. I think Mt Lion populations are doing pretty well throughout the west.

They are also working on DNA test that will allow biologists to track a lion back to it's mother and her home range. Females tend to stay in the area they were born.

Around here the news media would have told us that Wisconsin had moved into cougar territory.

That's funny!!

They are telling us the same thing here.
Let's see... never used to see Mt. Lions, now they are everywhere.

I've lived in the same place for the last 10 years, my in-laws for 12 years before that.

Never seen Mt. lions until the last few years. Yep, it's got to be our fault.