10 Most Memorable MI Animal Stories Of 2025

Every year, we round up our best articles that featured animals, and 2025's animal-themed articles truly did not disappoint. This year's selection of stories runs the gamut from a hotel staff finding a live alligator in a room to a pup who's four-year journey brought him to metro Detroit.

Cougar Cubs Spotted In MI For First Time In 100 Years: DNR

Biologists confirmed the sighting of two cougar cubs on private land in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula.

MI Motel Staff Find Live Alligator In Room

Staff at the Pine River Motel in Cheboygan on Friday were cleaning one of the rooms where they found the 3-foot-long alligator, according to officials.

Turkey Flies Through Driver's Windshield In Michigan

The 19-year-old man from Sterling Heights was driving east on the freeway near Fowlerville Road at 12:45 p.m. when a turkey flew in front of his pickup truck and went through the windshield, police said.

MI Zoo Celebrates First-Ever Birth Of Pygmy Hippo Calf

The John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids welcomed a pygmy hippo earlier this summer.

Beloved Rescue Horse, Ruby, Dies While Pulling Carriage In Frankenmuth

Police said Ruby was pulling a carriage on Frankenmuth's Covered Bridge around 4:30 p.m. last Saturday when she suffered a sudden medical emergency and collapsed.

Rescue Crews Save Deer From 'Certain Death' On I-75 In Oakland County: Sheriff

The 4-point buck was struck by a car and became wedged between two concrete barriers on Interstate 75 near Lapeer Road in Auburn Hills in Oakland County, according to the sheriff's office.

MI Reverses Plan To Euthanize Blind Deer After Public Outcry

A visually-impaired fawn, who was going to be euthanized, will instead be moved to a facility where native animals are kept for educational purposes, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.

Grieving Detroit Mother Surprised To Find 6-Foot Alligator In Her Late Son's Bedroom

A grieving Detroit mother was stunned to find a 6-foot alligator in her late son's bedroom.

3 Healthy African Lion Cubs Born At Detroit Zoo

The three healthy African lion cubs were born to 9-year-old lioness mom Amirah and dad Kalu, zoo officials announced Monday.

California Dog Missing More Than 4 Years Found In Michigan, Thousands Of Miles From Home

A small dog is back home with his family in California after a four-year journey brought him to metro Detroit, according to Helping Paws and Claws.