Cougar unseen but not forgotten in southeastern Wisconsin over past week

A cougar documented at multiple sites in Brookfield in mid-February has not been seen in a week, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

The absence of recent confirmed sightings, even when a cougar is known to be in an area of dense human population, isn't unusual.

"They are very stealthy," said Scott Walter, DNR large carnivore specialist. "Even in cases where these animals live their entire lives around big cities, they are rarely seen."

Part of the reason for the lack of eyewitness sightings, Walter said, is the cougar's habit of resting during the day and moving at night.

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In one of the most-studied and well-known cases of cougar behavior, a male named P-22 has lived for seven years in the Griffith Park area of Los Angeles. Although it travels daily through or near human-built features on the landscape, it is rarely observed with the naked eye.

And though it lives within a few miles of hundreds of thousands of people, the animal — like other cougars studied — has not become habituated to humans nor does it rely on them for food. 

This behavior differentiates cougars from bears, raccoons and several other species of wildlife in North America.

The most recent verified cougar sightings in Wisconsin occurred the weekend of Feb. 14-15. The animal was observed laying in a brushy area in a Brookfield yard in the late afternoon and evening Feb. 14 and then recorded on surveillance video at a Brookfield home the next morning.

But since it left paw marks on the windowsill of Dan and Bridget Guerndt's home, it has not been seen or captured on camera.

Although some initial reports suggested the animal might be injured, reviews of video and other evidence indicated the animal is uninjured and moving normally, said Dianne Robinson, DNR wildlife biologist based in Waukesha.

The animal is likely the same one captured on a surveillance camera in early February in Colgate in Washington County.

Further, the cougar seen in southeastern Wisconsin is still believed to be a young male that is looking for a mate and territory.

In each of the six cases over the last decade that genetic material has been obtained from cougars in Wisconsin, it was determined the animal originated from the Black Hills region of South Dakota, the nearest known breeding population of the species.

The animal seen this month in Wisconsin is estimated to be about 1 1/2 years old and weigh about 100 pounds, Robinson said.

Cougars are a protected species in Wisconsin and can only be shot if they pose a threat to human safety or are depredating livestock.

Robinson said the animal is believed to have moved since it was last seen in Brookfield, but with the lack of snow over the last week it couldn't be tracked.

The DNR has developed a cougar response plan for various scenarios, Robinson said.

Public safety is the top priority, but if the cougar presents an opportunity for capture, the agency might try to immobilize the animal and attach a tracking collar to it.

The agency encourages the public to report sightings of cougars and any other unusual wildlife. 

"In the best-case scenario, the animal will keep moving and not interact with people," Robinson said. 

Spring hikes: The DNR will hold hikes this spring at state-owned properties in southeastern Wisconsin to view wildflowers and wildlife and learn more about the local public lands.

The hikes are free and open to the public. They will be led by Dianne Robinson, DNR wildlife biologist based in Waukesha, and other DNR staff. To participate, RSVP to dianne.robinson@wisconsin.gov or (262) 424-9827.

Here's a list of the upcoming outings:

March 16, Spring Thaw Hike at Turtle Valley Wildlife Area, Mukwonago.

March 24, Spring Thaw Hike at Big Muskego Lake Wildlife Area, Muskego.

April 10, Spring Thaw Hike at Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee.

April 21, Nature Hike at Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit, Eagle.

May 8, Spring Birding Hike, 9-11 a.m., New Munster Wildlife Area, Burlington.

May 11, Spring Birding Hike, 8:30-11:30 a.m., Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee.

May 19, Spring Wildflower Hike, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area, Mukwonago.

May 23, Spring Wildflower Hike, 9-11 a.m., Theresa Marsh Wildlife Area, Theresa.

Biathlon basics: Interest in biathlon spikes every four years in America as the sport is covered on television during the Winter Olympics. 

To help educate and train interested parties, Wisconsin Biathlon will host an Introduction to Biathlon class March 3 at McMiller Sports Center in Eagle. The event will include a USBA “Red Book” safety certification clinic.

Registration is required for the event; a registration link and additional information is listed on the group's website at wisconsinbiathlon.com

The next day, Blackhawk Ski Club in Middleton will host the final biathlon races of the season, including a novice race for anyone with cross-country ski gear and USBA safety certification. Wisconsin Biathlon will provide rifles and safety coaches for the novice race.

For more information, contact Mike Larsen at wibiathlon@gmail.com.