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Minnesota
There are no known cougar populations in Minnesota and sightings are extremely rare. The DNR gets about 50 reports of cougar sightings each year, but most of these turn out to be large house cats or even yellow Labrador dogs. Only a few reports have proven to be true.
The cougar is a protected species in Minnesota, meaning that it cannot be hunted or trapped. It is unknown how many cougar sightings are of escaped or released pet cougars, which people can buy from game farms and legally own.
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There are no reports of cougars attacking humans in Minnesota. Biologists believe that the cougars in Minnesota are wandering through from the mountainous western states.
There are currently no cougar-related advocacy activities in this state.
There is currently no specific cougar-related news for this state.
News
Cougar sightingKTTC NBC | 2010-08-30 Several people say they spotted a cougar prowling in the Twin Cities suburb of Roseville, and experts believe the sighting may be linked to a Wisconsin cat.Learn more... |
Cougar spotted in StillwateeSt. Croix Valley Local News MN | 2010-07-02 Six months after a cougar was last spotted in Stillwater, police say another wildcat may be roaming the area.Learn more... |
Humane Society ranks N.D. low on animal protection lawsGrand Forks Herald | 2010-02-10 North Dakota ranks near the bottom and Minnesota in the middle in a 50-state ranking by the Humane Society of the United States on a wide range of animal protection laws.Learn more... |
Police Investigate Cougar Sighting In MinneapolisWCCO | 2010-01-12 Police are investigating another possible cougar sighting in Minneapolis.Learn more... |
Mountain lion sighted in northern Twin Cities neighborhoodArgus Leader | 2009-12-08 Residents of a northern Twin Cities neighborhood are on edge after a cougar was sighted in the Champlin area. A police dash camera caught the large cat on tape early Saturday. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officer watched the tape and confirmed to KSTP-TV that the animal is a cougar.Learn more... |
Cougar Controversy: Are the Big Cats Breeding in Minn.?Becky Nahm ABC - Channel 5 | 2009-11-04 Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, have been spotted in Minnesota. But there's disagreement over whether the big cats have moved in or are only passing through.Learn more... |
DNR wildlife manager provides cougar fact sheetPaul Relander, Bemidji Pioneer- MN | 2009-09-29 Cougars (sometimes referred to as “mountain lions” or “puma”) were found throughout most of Minnesota prior to European settlement, though never in large numbers. Today they are rarely seen but do occasionally appear. |
Mountain lion backlashMolly Miron, Bemidji Pioneer -MN | 2009-09-25 Since the story ran Monday on the Bemidji PIoneer Web site and in Tuesday's newspaper about a Bemidji resident striking and killing a young mountain lion on Carr Lake Road...Learn more... |
Mail carrier on route east of Crookston says mountain lion ran across roadCrookston Daily Times - MN | 2009-07-17 Reports of a mountain lion east of town have been made this week. Kathy Aamot of Crookston told the Times on Wednesday that while delivering mail...Learn more... |
To see the Minnesota DNR's page on cougars, click here.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4040
Telephone: (651) 296-6157
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There are no cougar-related downloads for this state.
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