Does the Cougar Inhabit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore?

Abstract

Abstract Increasing numbers of cougars (Puma concolor) have been documented in Great Plains and Midwestern states in recent years. This includes numerous reports of cougars in Michigan; however, evidence of a natural population has not been obtained. We conducted track surveys and operated camera stations from November 2004 through April 2005 in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SBDNL), Michigan. We obtained no images of cougars during 863 camera nights and did not observe cougar tracks or associated sign (e.g., scats, hair, kill sites) during 493 km of track surveys. Presence of 10 carnivore species, including bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), and domestic dog (Canis familiaris) was documented. We also investigated four cougar sightings and one report of cougar tracks within and adjacent to SBDNL. We were unable to locate any cougar sign at the sighting locations but did observe sign of coyote and bobcat. A domestic dog made the reported cougar tracks. We found no evidence supporting the...