CT's Cougar - A Real Wanderer

The cougar killed on the Wilbur Cross Highway in June turned out to be on a long journey. After extensive research, CT DEEP has just published its report in the Connecticut Wildlife Magazine (September/October 2011 issue). Our cougar started its adventure in South Dakota, traveled to Wisconsin, probably continued though southern Ontario and into upper New York State before its untimely demise in Milford – approximately 1,200 miles. This was determined through DNA samples of scat and hair taken by authorities in SD, WI, and NY. It was a young male, 2 – 5 years old who was probably looking for love. Young males are known to disperse fairly long distances looking for a mate and will continue to move along until they find one. But as far as wildlife experts are concerned, our cougar wins first prize. Second prize goes to another South Dakota male that traveled 640 miles to Oklahoma. Young cougar females don’t disperse as far as their brothers. They tend to wander only 12 – 40 miles away from their mother’s territory. Because of this, wildlife experts don’t think New England will see the development of its own cougar population. For a young female to disperse this far and begin reproducing is less probable. But, nature always provides us with wonderful surprises.