You may have seen these cougar cubs on the news, but we figured they were worth featuring on the Pasty Cam, too, as this is the first time in more than 100 years that cubs have been found in the Michigan wild. The sighting on private land in Ontonagon County, was confirmed by state biologists. The cubs are believed to be 7 to 9 weeks old and normally are dependent on their mother at this age, but they were spotted without their mother in this instance. They haven’t been seen since March 6th and the hope is that they are still alive. The DNR has verified 132 adult cougar reports, but said that DNA testing has confirmed only male cougars to date. A reminder that cougars are on the list of endangered mammals in Michigan, so it is illegal to hunt or harass them, including trying to locate their den. Sightings can be logged in the DNR’s Eyes in the Field reporting system.

The remaining photos were snapped by Donna MacIntosh when she and her friend Cindy (HI LOU!) were cruising around Houghton last week. I LOVE that Houghton recreated the “Welcome to the Copper Country Sign” that says: “You are now breathing the purest most vitalizing air on earth!” I also thought it interesting to see the gradual melting of the Winter Carnival snow statue and then Donna’s bottom photo is saying that “spring is coming”, she said buds are starting on the trees and you can almost see a small titch of green... so it’s coming!

Meanwhile, in Marquette the melting ice on the Lake Superior shoreline is happening, too! 906 Images camera went for another dip along the deeper part of Blackrocks in Marquette. Check out what it looks like underwater!

Nice pix, but all of the Cougars
that I’ve spotted around here
are female and a little to old
to have cubs.
And Spring is
just around the corner;
Thursday, March 20th.
If that webcam could talk it would
be saying; “pull me out, I’m freezing!”

Neat to see that sign again but a question: where was it originally located? I kinda recall it was on the right side of Rt 41 a few miles before entering Houghton. Or am I losing it(?)

Nice pictures, for sure.

Yes George, the sign was as you
were coming into Houghton from the
Chassell area. I loved seeing that
sign. I think it's right as you
enter Houghton now.

Those cats are beautiful...

I watched "The Americas" on TV...one thing they
said was, "In the fall, when leaves fall off the
tree, the next bud starts and it puts out a
"sealant" that covers the open spot left by the
leaf that just fell off"...That was interesting. I
remember as a kid, when Grandpa would cut off a
part of a tree that wasn't good (the old
transparent apple tree), he'd paint the place the
limb came off from to SEAL the Wound!

And yes, that sign used to live in Chassell..I
doubt it's the same one, but...it's the same
message. And a beauty at that.

Since those cat pictures do not appear to be from trail cams they reflect a bit more than "spotted" since the photographer seems so close.

I remember that sign along northbound US-41. Near Chassell sounds right.

Wildlife are increasing everywhere. Down here in Iowa there have been sightings of both moose and wolves. The last wolf seen was almost in Missouri.

I remember seeing that sign
painted on the side of a
building on the left hand side
of 41, heading north. I can’t
recall what town it was in.

Hi
D.A., the cougar cub photos do seem like the
photographer is too close. It looks like the cub is
by a tire in the second photo. If it was me, I
wouldn't want to disturb them...and I wouldn't want
mama cougar to come at me to defend her babies.