Alleged Cougar siting in suburban forest preserve

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

In DuPage County, Forest Preserve Police are warning residents of a possible cougar sighting after someone spotted and reported a cougar in Glendale at the East Branch Forest Preserve.

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According to a WGN report, officials posted signs on information boards to keep the public aware that there could be a possible cougar out in the forest as so far, the only witness said they had spotted one on Friday and are not hundred percent certain it was a cougar at all.

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Brian Kraskie, Ecologist says if it was a cougar, it is most likely a young adult on the prowl for a mate or suitable habitat and was solely passing through, according to the news outlet.

The Forest Preserve says for more than 100 years, cougars were non-existent in the state and only recently they have started popping up again, according to WGN. The news outlet reports that in 2008 Chicago Police shot a cougar in Roscoe Village.

It was also reported that cougars can get up to 240 pounds. Frank Jankovics told WGN that he hopes if there is an actual cougar in DuPage County, it won’t meet the same fate.

“If they are moving back into the area let them be; they don’t bother anybody,” Jankovics said to WGN.

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Officers have posted signs at the entrance to all the trails at the East Branch Forrest Preserve but stress it is just a precaution as they do not want to scare one, according to the news outlet.

WGN reports that since Friday, no other sightings have been reported but on Sunday, the Illinois DNR was called and did not find any cougar tracks.

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