Details
Puma concolor
The cougar is a large cat ranging across the Americas. Flexible and solitary, it hunts mainly deer from mountains to deserts.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It occurs in the Nearctic and Neotropics, using forest, mountains, grassland, and desert. Cover and prey allow it to live from dry country to snowy ranges.
Length 100-200 cm; weight 29-100 kg. The plain tawny to grey-brown body has a long tail and relatively small head. Powerful hind legs give it exceptional leaping ability.
Crepuscular and solitary, it holds a large home range. Scent marks, scrapes, and claw marks advertise its presence to other cougars.
A carnivore, it preys mainly on deer but also takes smaller mammals and birds. It ambushes at close range and often caches surplus meat.
Breeding can occur through much of the year depending on region. Females raise spotted kittens alone, and young learn hunting while following the mother.
It is listed as Least Concern, though some regional populations are fragmented. Roads, development, and conflict with people remain local concerns.
