By Russell E. Emmons (Russemmons) on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 06:03 pm:
Marianne: No way are Cougars common or abundant in MI. Therefore why they would be endangered.
The question & issue among people and organizations is if they are really here at all. The many sightings and reports I say speak for themselves. I thought we heard one snarl once way back in a remote area of the NLP while doing bird surveys! Creepy-- made the hair on the back of my neck stand up! So I am and always was a believer!
Cougars are listed as endangered or threatened in many parts of the lower 48. In settlement times they ranged the whole continent coast to coast. They, like many other species are "taking back" much of their original habitat!
My Uncle who lives in Woodside (RCW knows who I mean) recently told me of one the neighbors saw come down the hill near Gooseneck Creek, ran across Woodside down to M26, crossed it and disappeared quickly behind Dollar Bay somewhere!