Legislation to give Illinois Wildlife Code protection to the gray wolf, American black bear and mountain lion (cougar) has been signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn.
With increases in population of the three species in neighboring states to the north, isolated reports of sightings have been made here, primarily in the north and northwest parts of Illinois.
Last November, a cougar estimated to weigh more than 100 pounds was euthanized by a conservation police officer at a farm in Whiteside County, northeast of Moline. Sightings of cougar in The Daily Journal region have been reported to the newspaper over the years, but none have been confirmed.
In May and June, numerous sightings of a black bear were made in northwest Illinois. It was described as “pretty timid” by Dan Elsassen, mayor of Mount Morris, a town of about 3,000 about 30 miles southwest of Rockford. It wandered through several yards and stopped for a while at a camp operated by Mooseheart. Elsassen said Wednesday that the bear hasn’t been seen there since around June 18, when about 30 people gathered to photograph it in a tree at the camp until police asked them to leave,
Fully grown, these bears can be 4 to 6 feet long, with males weighing 250-350 pounds and females 120-160, according to the University of Illinois website “Living with Wildlife in Illinois.”
More of them are likely to visit at least the north part of the state, according to Doug Dufford, Illinois Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist for the region. Wisconsin has a black bear population of 20,000 and some have been moving south.
Gray wolves have been sighted in northern Illinois and Indiana, but no sightings have been confirmed locally.
All three species are believed to have been extirpated from the state in the mid to late 1800s.
Marc Miller, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, announced Monday that the new law will take effect Jan. 1, giving the department authority to manage these species for the protection of both wildlife and public safety
The law also will allow landowners to kill black bear or mountain lion if there is an imminent threat to lives and property. It also will allow them to apply for a nuisance permit to remove an animal that is not an immediate threat.
The gray wolf receives legal protection in Illinois under both the U.S. and Illinois Endangered Species Acts. Due to its federal protection south of Interstate 80, gray wolves may not be taken unless they present an imminent threat to people.
Miller released the following question and answer report Monday as well.
Is Illinois encouraging the return of large predators?
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is not actively working to restore gray wolves, American black bears or mountain lions to Illinois. However,DNR recognizes that occasional individual animals are likely to make their way here.
A month-long visit to northern Illinois by a black bear in June demonstrated the benefits of cooperation among state and local government entities in monitoring the bear, but allowing it remain a wild animal.
The new law is a first necessary step that allows the department to develop formal rules and protocols to manage these species.
What will DNR do to manage wolves, bears and mountain lions?
Right now DNR biologists and the conservation police are working together to develop protocols for addressing interactions between people and wolves, bears and mountain lions.
Conservation police will share this information with local law enforcement agencies, the likely first-responders in the event of a sighting or nuisance call.
Currently, conservation police officers are allowing these animals to go on their way unless they pose a threat, as was judged to be the case when the cougar was euthanized in northwest Illinois last November.
What are the chances of gray wolves, black bears and mountain lions becoming reestablished in Illinois?
Re-colonization by these species is possible although Illinois has relatively little suitable habitat in large enough blocks to support these animals. According to habitat models, only about 14.7 percent of Illinois’ area is suitable for black bears, 6.6 percent for mountain lions and 14 percent for gray wolves.
What can Illinois residents do to be prepared for encounters with these species?
Property owners can avoid encounters with wildlife by securing potential food sources, including pet food, barbecue grills, trash and other sources. Bird feeders can be taken down temporarily in the event of a local sighting.