Eastern Cougar May Be Declared Extinct

When species are removed from the endangered species list, it’s usually cause for celebration — but that’s not the case for the eastern cougar (Puma concolor couguar). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove the species from the list after completing a review of its population in 2011 and finding no evidence of a living eastern cougar in 21 states and eastern Canadian provinces. The animal, which was placed on the federal endangered species list in 1973, has likely been extinct for 75 years, and potentially extinct animals are not protected under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal to remove the eastern cougar from the list is now available for public review and comments through August 17.

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