Cougar

The cougar (*Puma concolor*) is a large wild cat native to the Americas and known by many names, including mountain lion and puma.

The cougar (*Puma concolor*) is a large wild cat native to the Americas and known by many names, including mountain lion and puma. It is a highly adaptable predator with one of the widest ranges of any land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, from Canada to South America. Cougars are solitary, adaptable carnivores found across a wide variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, swamps, and deserts.

Taxonomy and names

Cougars are members of the cat family and are scientifically known as *Puma concolor*. They are also called mountain lions, pumas, panthers, and catamounts in different regions.

Range and habitat

Cougars occur from southern Canada through much of the United States, Central America, and South America. They have the widest range of any land mammal in the Western Hemisphere. They live in many habitats as long as cover and prey are available, including forests, grasslands, swamps, and deserts.

Diet and hunting

Cougars are carnivorous predators that mainly hunt deer and other ungulates. Their main prey is deer, but they also eat elk, Moose, bighorn sheep, smaller mammals, birds, and sometimes livestock. They may occasionally prey on livestock near human settlement.

Size and lifespan

Adult cougars are large cats with substantial variation in size between males and females. They are typically about 1.5–2.4 m (5–8 ft) long including the tail and weigh roughly 34–100+ kg (75–220+ lb), with males larger than females. Wild cougars generally live around 8–13 years, while captive animals can live 20 years or more.

Human interactions

Cougars generally avoid people, and attacks are uncommon. However, they can be dangerous if surprised, cornered, or defending prey or kittens. Reported conflicts usually involve close-range surprise encounters, pets (such as Dog), livestock, or young children.