Cougar Facts | Puma | Mountain Lion

Cougars are also commonly called mountain lions, pumas, or panthers. Photo by IPGGutenbergUKLtd / iStock.com.

The cougar, which is also commonly referred to as a puma, mountain lion, or panther, is the second largest cat in North America (with the largest being the jaguar).

Cougars measure about 1.5-2.4 m (5-8 ft.) long. While males can weigh up to 68 kg (150 lb.), females weigh less, topping out at nearly 45 kg (100 lb.).

They have similar body types to house cats, only on a larger scale. They have slender bodies and round heads with pointed ears.

The coat of the cougar is a grayish tan to reddish color with lighter parts on the underside. The tail has a black spot on the end.

Cougars have similar body types to house cats, only on a larger scale. Photo by moose henderson / iStock.com.

Inhabiting various ecosystems from mountains to deserts to sea-level, the cougar’s established range includes western North America, a small region in Florida, and most of South America.

They make their home anywhere that there is shelter and prey.

Can Cougars Roar?

Unlike other large cats, cougars cannot roar. But they can purr.

What Cougars Eat

Generally cougars prey on deer but also feed on smaller animals if necessary, including domestic animals and livestock.

They have even been known to eat insects.

How Cougars Hunt

Skilled and cunning hunters, cougars stay hidden from their prey until they can pounce with claws out-stretched. They can also climb with ease and leap over 6 m (20 ft.).

Cougars can leap over 6 m (20 ft.)! Photo by seread / iStock.com.

After killing a large animal, a cougar hides the carcass and eats it in the coming days.

Cougar Reproduction

During most of their lives, cougars are solitary creatures. They interact only to mate, which can happen at any time of year.

Females give birth to a litter of 2-3 babies, called kittens or cubs. They raise the young while the males return to their solitary lifestyles.

Mountain lion cub. Photo by gnagel / iStock.com.

At around two years old, cougar offspring will leave their mother to start their own life. Some travel far to establish their own territory as cougars need a lot of room to roam.

A healthy cougar in the wild can live to around 10 years of age. In captivity, cougars can live as long as 20 years.

For the most part, the cougar has no natural enemies and sits atop the food chain. However, they occasionally compete with other predators such as bears and wolves for food.

Conservation Status

Cougars are listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List.

But they still face threats. Cougars have been long been killed by both sport hunters and farmers protecting their livestock.

Other threats to cougar populations include habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as automobile accidents. As a result, the cougar population has significantly decreased.

Although they once ranged widely throughout North and South America, cougars were largely wiped out from the eastern portion of the United States and Canada by European settlers in the 1700s.

There is a small population in Florida, a subspecies known as the Florida panther. The Florida panther is considered to be critically endangered, and agencies are working to maintain the current population.

Furthermore, in recent years, sightings of cougars in the northeast United States and eastern Canada have been on the rise. Although many are the result of former captive cougars who escaped or were released, there is a possibility of recolonization of cougars in the east.

What You Can Do To Help

If you would like to help cougars, you can write to your congresspeople advocating for the preservation of open land. This helps maintain a livable habitat for cougars.

In addition, you can donate directly to the Mountain Lion Foundation.

Cougar Range

Inhabiting various ecosystems from mountains to deserts to sea-level, the cougar’s range includes western North America, a small region in Florida, and most of South America.