Security footage of what seems to be a mountain lion captured in Elk River, Minnesota, prompted officials in the city to issue warnings to its citizens, according to multiple reports.
One resident’s home security camera captured what was presumed to be a mountain lion, also known as a cougar. Though it is rare for a mountain to wander around, it is not impossible; so, officials issued a warning to all citizens to be mindful and careful, according to Fox News.
Images of what appears to be a cougar were captured from a home security camera, recently. The resident lives on the city’s west side near the Mississippi. @elkriverpolice have forwarded the info to conservation officers and ask that residents remain aware of their surroundings. pic.twitter.com/8qPlyzHii0
— City of Elk River (@elkriver_mn) June 12, 2019
“Images of what appears to be a cougar were captured from a home security camera recently. The resident lives on the city’s west side near the Mississippi,” The City of Elk River Twitter post reads. “[The Elk River Police Department has] forwarded the info to conservation officers and ask [sic] that residents remain aware of their surroundings.”
According to the Twitter post, officials encouraged residents to contact them if they have footage or images of mountain lion sightings.
**Resident Alert**
Cougar sightings in Minnesota are rare but not unheard of. If you think you’ve seen a cougar, contact a local wildlife officer or conservation officer with photos or video footage. Stay aware, everyone! https://t.co/kPmWtXKze9— Elk River Police Department (@elkriverpolice) June 12, 2019
“Cougar sightings in Minnesota are rare but not unheard of,” the city police department Twitter post read. “If you think you’ve seen a cougar, contact a local wildlife officer or conservation officer with photos or video footage. Stay aware, everyone!”
The @mndnr says the animals are rare in this state, but that there have been likely sightings all over Minnesota, and more than 30 of them in the last 15 years. https://t.co/oAj27fA1Tw
— MPR News (@MPRnews) June 13, 2019
Sighting in Appleton
Mountain lions have also been sighted in Appleton, Minnesota. Similar to the sighting in Elk River, this creature was also captured on a trail camera. The Appleton Minnesota Police Department posted the picture of the creature on its Facebook page, warning others of a possible cougar sighting. The footage was reviewed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which couldn’t confirm the exact species of the cat, according to MPR News.
“Mountain lion observed on the west side of town on trail camera,” the police’s Facebook post reads. “**Update** Upon MN DNR review it is not confirmed to be a mountain lion and is hard to determine exactly what kind of cat it is.”
According to Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), cougars, or sometimes referred to as puma or mountain lions, were found in abundance back before European settlement, but they were never spotted in great numbers. Currently, they occasionally appear, but sightings of these large animals are quite rare.
“While evidence might suggest the animal’s prevalence is increasing, the number of verified cougar observations indicate that cougar occurrence in Minnesota is a result of transient animals from the Western Dakotas,” DNR states.
Although there have been recorded sightings, some were the case of mistaken identity—where other animals, such as the domesticated cat or smaller wild animals, were taken for cougars, according to the Minnesota DNR. The department wrote, “many cougar observations from trail cameras and tracks turn out to be cases of mistaken identity. Bobcats, house cats, coyotes, wolves, fishers and light colored dogs have all been mistaken as cougars.”
Minnesota DNR wrote on its page that the way to tell whether if a creature is a cougar is to know what they look like. “The head appears small in relation to the boy, which ranges in length from four to six feet overall. The body is tan except for dark face markings and the tip of the tail, which is nearly as long as the body,” it said.
DNR also added, “it is helpful to know that adult males can reach 200 pounds but most are much smaller and average about 150 pounds. Adult females usually weigh about 90 to 110 pounds.”
