 The cougar was extirpated across much of its eastern North American range ( with the exception of Florida ) in the two centuries after European colonization , and faced grave threats in the remainder of its territory . Currently , it ranges across most western American states , the Canadian provinces of Alberta , Saskatchewan and British Columbia , and the Canadian territory of Yukon . There have been widely debated reports of possible recolonization of eastern North America . DNA evidence has suggested its presence in eastern North America , while a consolidated map of cougar sightings shows numerous reports , from the mid @-@ western Great Plains through to eastern Canada . The Quebec wildlife services ( known locally as MRNF ) also considers cougar to be present in the province as a threatened species after multiple DNA tests confirmed cougar hair in lynx mating sites . The only unequivocally known eastern population is the Florida panther , which is critically endangered . There have been unconfirmed sightings in Elliotsville Plantation , Maine ( north of Monson ) ; and in New Hampshire , there have been unconfirmed sightings as early as 1997 . In 2009 , the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed a cougar sighting in Michigan 's Upper Peninsula . Typically , extreme @-@ range sightings of cougars involve young males , which can travel great distances to establish ranges away from established males ; all four confirmed cougar kills in Iowa since 2000 involved males . 
 The cougar was extirpated across much of its eastern North American range ( with the exception of Florida ) in the two centuries after European colonization , and faced grave threats in the remainder of its territory . Currently , it <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>ranges</mark></a> across most western American states , the Canadian provinces of Alberta , Saskatchewan and British Columbia , and the Canadian territory of Yukon . <a href='dey_it' title='2'><mark>There</mark></a> have been widely debated reports of possible recolonization of eastern North America . DNA evidence <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> suggested its presence in eastern North America , while a consolidated map of cougar sightings <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>shows</mark></a> numerous reports , from the mid @-@ western Great Plains through to eastern Canada . The Quebec wildlife services ( known locally as MRNF ) also <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>considers</mark></a> cougar to be present in the province as a threatened species after multiple DNA tests confirmed cougar hair in lynx mating sites . The only unequivocally known eastern population <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>is</mark></a>the Florida panther , which <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>is</mark></a>critically endangered . <a href='dey_it' title='8'><mark>There</mark></a> have been unconfirmed sightings in Elliotsville Plantation , Maine ( north of Monson ) ; and in New Hampshire , <a href='dey_it' title='9'><mark>there</mark></a> have been unconfirmed sightings as early as 1997 . In 2009 , the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed a cougar sighting in Michigan <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>Upper Peninsula . Typically , extreme @-@ range sightings of cougars involve young males , which can travel great distances to establish ranges away from established males ; all four confirmed cougar kills in Iowa since 2000 involved males . 
The cougar was extirpated across much of its eastern North American range ( with da exception of Florida ) in tdatwo centuries after European colonization , and faced grave threats in the remainder of its territory . Currently , it range across most western American states , thdaanadian provinces of Alberta , Saskatchewan and British Columbia , and thedanadian territory of Yukon . It have been widely debated reports of possible recolonization of eastern North America . DNA evidence done suggested its presence in eastern North America , while a consolidated map of cougar sightings show numerous reports , from the da @-@ western Great Plains through to eastern Canada . The Quebec wildlife services ( known locally as MRNF ) also consider cougar to b present in the pdaince as a threatened species after multiple DNA tests confirmed cougar hair in lynx mating sites . The only unequivocally known eastern population the Florida panther , which critically endangered . It have been unconfirmed sightings in Elliotsville Plantation , Maine ( north of Monson ) ; and in New Hampshire , it have been unconfirmed sightings as early as 1997 . In 2009 , the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed a cougar sighting in Michigan  Upper Peninsula . Typically , extreme @-@ range sightings of cougars involve young males , which can travel great distances to establish ranges away from established males ; alll 4 confirmed cougar kills in Iowa since 2000 involved males .