Photo: Cougar Shot in Chicago; Was 1,000 Miles From Home?

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A cougar—like the animal seen above—was recently shot and killed by Chicago police after it appeared near a grade school. The male cat might have come from as far away as the Black Hills in South Dakota in search of territory, food, and mates, experts say.

The incident highlights the combination of rapid development and a cougar population boom across the American West that has increased the chances of humans and the big cats crossing paths.

Photograph by Konrad Wothe/Minden Pictures

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