A rare cougar siting in northern Minnesota

A female cougar with three large kittens has been captured on camera, feeding just south of Voyageurs National Park.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says four hours of video were taken from two cameras that were placed on a GPS-collared deer and believed to have been killed by a cougar.

Trail cameras set up as part of a wolf research project have recorded footage of cougars eight times since 2023, but none of kittens.

Thomas Gable, the project lead of the University of Minnesota’s Voyageurs Wolf Project, says the footage is surreal.

“We never anticipated seeing four cougars together in northern Minnesota,” states Gable in a release.

“It was fascinating to see and hear their interactions – the mother grooming her kittens, the kittens growling and hissing at each other. We feel incredibly fortunate we were able to capture such a wild moment in such detail.”

Research biologist John Erb believes the kittens were born last fall and are about 7-9 months old.

The discovery of kittens is believed to be the first documented case of breeding in the area in nearly 100 years.

“The only other confirmed kittens in Minnesota turned out to be captive escapees and involved a female with two kittens that showed up and hung around a homeowner’s porch in 2001,” states Erb.

Cougars are considered extinct in Minnesota and listed as endangered in northwestern Ontario.

Researchers believe any of the animals spotted are a transient population, originating from South Dakota, North Dakota or Nebraska.

“Although this is an important starting point for potential population establishment in Minnesota, predicting the future is extremely difficult,” states Erb.

“These kittens might not survive, potentially getting killed by wolves, a male cougar or vehicles. They may also become part of the founding catalyst for a slow but steady increase in numbers. Time will tell, but we are clearly nearing a point where the probability of a self-sustaining population has increased.”