DNR Wildlife Biologist Brian Roell is excited by the news because the thought was big cats had been out of the U.P. since the early 1900s.
MARQUETTE -- We're getting reaction from the DNR Thursday after a U.P. trail camera photo of a cougar was confirmed by officials.
The DNR says this is, in fact, a mountain lion from an area near Bruce Township in the Eastern U.P.
DNR Wildlife Biologist Brian Roell is excited by the news because the thought was big cats had been out of the U.P. since the early 1900s.
The next step, according to Roell, is to find a hair or blood sample from a cougar to find out where it's from.
"The next question we would like to know is where did it come from," said Roell. "Is it a western animal? Is it an escaped pet or a purposefully released animal? Those kinds of things we just don't know."
Although Roell believes it's highly unlikely, if you do encounter a cougar, he says not to approach it and slowly walk away.
It's a protected animal, but if a human life is threatened, you can defend yourself.
