Cougar Sighting In Brookfield: Report

BROOKFIELD, WI — Authorities with the state Department of Natural Resources confirmed a cougar sighting in Brookfield, after the large cat was found laying under a tree on Saturday evening.

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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