DNR shares video of confirmed cougar caught on camera in Washington County



WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have shared video of a cougar caught on camera in Washington County.

According to the DNR, the animal was recorded on a security camera during the early morning hours of Feb. 7 as it crossed a walkway in front of the residence.

A cougar was confirmed Jan. 8 on a trail camera photo in Fond du Lac County, while four photos taken in Lincoln and Langlade counties in mid-December 2017 were also confirmed to feature a cougar.



While there is no evidence of a breeding population in Wisconsin, individual cougars do move through Wisconsin periodically. The nearest established cougar population is in the Black Hills area of South Dakota, and animals dispersing through Wisconsin are believed to originate from this population.

Anyone with an unusual sighting or trail camera photo are encouraged to fill out the Large Mammal Observation Form so that DNR biologists can work to identify the animal.

DNR staff say they rely almost exclusively on the public for reports of cougars and other rare mammals. Anyone with an unusual sighting or trail camera photo are encouraged to fill out the Large Mammal Observation Form so that our biologists can work to identify the animal.

The DNR also has a map of recent cougar sightings in the state.