Study: Cougars again spreading across Midwest ST. LOUIS (AP) --
Cougars are again spreading across the Midwest a century after
the generally reclusive predators were hunted to near extinction
in much of the region, according to a new study billed as the
first rigorous statistical look at the issue. The findings,
detailed in The Journal of Wildlife Management, showed 178
cougar confirmations in the Midwest and as far south as Texas
between 1990 and 2008. While confirmed sightings of Midwest
cougars were sporadic before 1990, when there were only a
couple, that number spiked to more than 30 by 2008, the study
shows. Researchers said the study poses fresh questions about
how humans and livestock can co-exist with the re-emerging
predators, whose movements appear to be following natural
dispersal instincts. The study sorts through various reported
sightings and affixes a number to those it could confirm, which
is significant because no government agency tracks the number of
large cats across the country. Wildlife