AR-News: (WI) Pat Durkin column: Cougar study not viable option

[WeArPetitions at aol.com]

http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/sports/archive/sports_12998717.shtml
Posted Nov. 02, 2003 



When a cougar sighting in Wisconsin gets publicity, the person reporting it 
often resents DNR biologists who say there is no evidence of a wild cougar 
population anywhere in the state. 
That doesn’t mean wild cougars don’t live in Wisconsin. It only means the 
Department of Natural Resources has no evidence they live or reproduce in the 
wild. I assume the cougar sighters get huffy about the DNR because they think 
state biologists lump them into the same category as Elvis spotters. Some might 
deserve the slight, but it’s unfair to suggest the DNR slides every cougar 
report into its UFO file. 
Why the cougar crowd so desires the DNR’s validation baffles me. After all, 
this is the same agency that’s widely scorned whenever it discusses 
white-tailed deer, even though it has nearly 70 years of home-grown science on its side. 
I doubt we’d feel better about the cougar’s status if DNR Secretary Scott 
Hassett declared tomorrow: “OK, the cat’s out of the bag. Yes, Wisconsin has a 
handful of wild cougars, and we’re monitoring the situation. We’ll consider 
control measures if they threaten our moose population or prevent the return of 
woodland caribou.” 
Interest in cougars isn’t unique to Wisconsin. Across the lake, some Michigan 
folks believe their DNR is neglecting cougar research. A group called the 
Michigan Wildlife Conservancy is trying to fill the alleged void by raising money 
for private research. 
Meanwhile, farmers last week in northwestern Iowa shot a cougar in a 
cornfield after deciding it posed a threat to area livestock and children. You’ll be 
relieved to learn its stomach didn’t contain the ear tags from a cow or the 
clip-on mittens from a kindergartner, just the remains of a raccoon or badger. 
Critics might think Wisconsin isn’t doing enough to verify the presence of 
wild cougars, but let’s concede it’s hard to make that a priority when our 
state budget has no money to replace scores of retiring wardens, fish biologists 
and wildlife managers. 
Besides, the state has at least four ongoing surveys that try to monitor 
cougars. In 2002, the DNR’s report on rare mammals listed 52 individual cougar 
sightings, including nine in Oneida County, and five each in Iron and Forest 
counties. Also, the DNR’s 2002 survey of bobcat hunters and trappers reported 
eight cougar sightings and 16 sets of cougar tracks. Its annual wildlife survey of 
bowhunters, however, revealed no cougar sightings. For perspective, the 
bobcat hunters and trappers spotted 208 timber wolves and 509 wolf tracks. 
In addition, since 1995 the state has conducted two winter track surveys to 
monitor wolves, one by DNR personnel and one by volunteers, Both surveys cover 
3,000 miles of trails, with the crews instructed to record the tracks of 
wolves, cougars, lynx and wolverines. Only once have they found anything resembling 
a cougar track. 
Adrian Wydeven, the state’s wolf biologist, monitors reports of all rare 
mammals in Wisconsin. He said most cougar sightings can’t be verified, and some 
are dismissed when tracks turn out to be made by bobcats, dogs and even foxes. 
Although several sightings each year are likely cougars, they’re often traced 
to releases of captive-raised animals or listed as unknown. 
“We have the ‘net’ out there every year,” he said. “We have an open mind. 
About 30 years ago, some people questioned the wolf’s existence in Wisconsin. 
When we found evidence of a wild population, we demonstrated our ability to 
manage for wolves. If we could demonstrate we have a cougar population, I’m 
confident we could set up a cougar-management plan.” 
If those efforts aren’t good enough for some people, I’d suggest they pursue 
Michigan’s idea and let the private sector pay for cougar research. 
Patrick Durkin writes a weekly column for The Northwestern. He may be reached 
at 721 Wesley St., Waupaca, Wis., 54981; or by e-mail at 
patrickdurkin at charter.net. 



  





It can truly be said:  Men are the devils of the earth, and the animals are 
the tormented souls. --Arthur Schopenhauer 
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