Meow ?

Another great reason to live in Minnesota?

Cougars!

Not the urban definition, mind you - I’m talking about the actual 200+ pound feline with claws and fangs known for stalking moose, cattle, horses and fighting bears.



I bring this up because one was spotted just yesterday near Lake Elmo. This wasn’t the first time a cougar was caught lurking around houses, as evidenced when police caught a kitty on video last year.

With anywhere from 40 to 60 reports of mountain lion sightings in Minnesota each year it’s comforting to know they’re running loose in the wilds surrounding the cities, occasionally wandering inside the metro area. Why?

For one thing, healthy cougars are a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Pesticides, pollution, and human encroachment have taken a toll on wildlife in some areas of the country, wiping out food sources for larger predators. As the food chain dies out at lower levels, food becomes scarce for the mid sized animals that are in turn the menu choice for the bigger carnivores. Apparently, the bunnies, puppies, and fawns in Minnesota are thriving, which means lots of full cougar tummies, and eventually - cougar babies.

Who doesn’t like cute, cuddly cougar babies?

Further benefits of mountain lions living in the area? These big cats prevent deer from running rampant. Deer overpopulation can quickly become a nuisance as the creatures dig up flower beds, destroy saplings and devastate crops. Other trouble besides deer’s feeding and rutting habits is their propensity to play chicken with traffic and the occasional carjacking.

Sure, the population can be controlled by hunters with guns - boring.

Using cougars is more natural, and less stressful on hunters who might get accidentally caught in crossfire. In fact, if you live in an area overcrowded with deer I strongly recommend breeding cougars in your basement with the intent to release them into the wild, sometime around hunting season. Be sure not to domesticate them too much - keep them as feral as possible by encouraging roughhousing - a sort of cougar Fight Club in your own home, if you will.

Finally, cougars bring with them the adrenaline rush of knowing where you stand on the evolutionary ladder. There’s really nothing quite like understanding that there is a possibility, however remote, of biking down a trail in the early morning, and having a cougar pounce on you.

Man could use more interaction with predators - it builds character.

Minnesota: proudly showcasing
the circle of life!