Cougar Spotted Again In Waukesha County, May Be From South Dakota

MENOMONEE FALLS, WI — A cougar that was spotted in Brookfield earlier this month has now been spotted in Menomonee Falls, according to reports.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources confirmed late Tuesday that the cat caught on camera Feb. 23 in Menomonee Falls is a cougar, and that it's probably all the way from South Dakota in search of a mate, according to a WISN 12 report.

Earlier this month, authorities with the state Department of Natural Resources confirmed the cougar sighting in Brookfield, after the large cat was found laying under a tree on Saturday evening Feb. 17 after somebody else called authorities.

According to a WISN 12 report, Brookfield Police Lt. John Beth said that "neighbors in the immediate area were notified and advised that officials would return on Sunday morning to deal with the animal. By Sunday morning, however, the cat was no longer under the tree. DNR officials tracked the cat's movement to the southeast, but lost the trail in the area of North 135th and Hope streets."

In the event that you see one, or catch one on camera, here are some identifying characteristics of a cougar as provided by the Wisconsin DNR.
Size

Adult weight: 116-160 pounds (male) and 75-110 pounds (female)
Length: 80-95 inches (male) and 72-80 inches (female)
Tail length: 28-38 inches and ropelike with a black tip
Shoulder height: 27-31 inches

Adult coloration

Coat overall is tawny but can vary from reddish, yellow to gray
Belly, underside, inside legs and chin are white or creamy
Black-tipped tail
Some black on the front of the muzzle, below the nose
Back of the ears are solid black or gray
No black phases have been documented in North America, only South America

DNR Reported Sightings in 2018

A cougar was caught by a security camera near a residence in Washington County early on the morning of February 7.
A cougar photo was taken near Rosendale in Fond du Lac County on Jan. 5.

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