There were native cougars in southern Ontario a century ago. The name "Erie", for Lake Erie means panther in an Indian language. I think the last one in southern Ontario was shot near Orillia and like the wolf they were completely annihilated in SW Ontzario when farms replaced the hardwood forest.
The ones in NW Ontario are probably wild and from the Alberta or the Black Hills.
The ones in SW Ontario now are likely captive cats released from roadside zoos. One caught in Quebec had South American cougar DNA. A cougar bit a farmer in eastern Ontario a few years ago. It was in the Globe and Mail. I don't think cougars in SW Ontario come from the west because there are no deer for them to eat for miles along the north shore of Lake Superior. One might make it across in a year when showshoe hares are at the peak of their cycle but I doubt it because the snow from Saulte Ste Marie to Wawa and west is very very deep in the winter. I once cross country skied about 20 miles from the ACR railway to Lake Superior in mid winter and the forest was lifeless. Too much snow. Everybody ses black cougars but thzere has never been one. Its caused by a low sun and backlighting and by mistaking house cats for cougars which is more common than you think. i was shown some ontario cougar photos and they were house cats for sure. I have caught wild cougars and raised quite a few in captivity.
