Cougar photographed by trail cam near Gilmanton

• Cougar

Cougar

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For only the second time this year, a cougar has been confirmed in Wisconsin. A landowner in Buffalo County submitted a night-time photo of the animal to the DNR. And wildlife biologist Kris Johansen identified cougar tracks on a patch of sand between Mondovi and Gilmanton.

Experts are still searching the property to try and find the cougar’s DNA. It will determine if the cougar is new to Wisconsin, or was identified before. At least six rare male cougars have been spotted in the Badger State since 2008 – and officials believe they’re spreading from a breeding area in South Dakota’s Black Hills.

This year’s only other confirmed cougar sighting in Wisconsin was near Crandon in late March. A couple of years ago, an animal dubbed the “Saint Croix cougar” was spotted numerous times. It came into the state from Minnesota. And officials say it might have traveled 1,600 miles before it was killed by a vehicle in Connecticut last year.

Tags: western wisconsin, outdoors