Page 136 - Present Day Wildlife_Float

The cougar (Puma concolor "one colour") is a large carnivorous cat and is the sole extant
species with two subspecies* in the genus Puma in the family Felidae. It is native to the Americas
and can be found from Canada down through Western United States to Mexico and through the
Amazon Rainforest and down to the southern Andes Mountains in Patagonia bordering Chile and
Argentina. Cougars tend to be smaller in hotter climates so the size may vary depending on its en-
vironment, but the average cougar stands at around 60 to 90 cm tall at the shoulders and about –
from nose to tail – 2.4 metres in length and weighs around 53 to 72 kg with females being slightly
smaller.

*Subspecies
North American cougar (Puma concolor
couguar)
South American cougar (Puma concolor concol-
or)

Cougars have a lean but powerful body.
They have a short thick neck and a round head,
with two erect ears, two round forward facing
eyes and a powerful set of jaws capable of grasp-
ing and crushing the bones of its prey. It has
four short robust legs that, when pursuing fast
moving prey, can propel the cougar along at a
speed of 80 km/h. Its two hind limbs are like
powerfully coiled springs, and when released,
can shoot the cougar 5 metres into the air. It uses this high jump to land on the backs of large prey
or tree branches where it can stalk its prey; waiting for it to pass below. Its four large paws are
equipped with four retractile claws, with an extra dewclaw on its forepaw. Their fur coat varies in
colour from a yellowish brown to a light to dark reddish grey, with a light coloured underside and
light jaws, chin and throat. Climate also plays a part in the depth of the colour, with those in warm
climates’ having a heat reflecting lighter colour and those in cold climates a heat absorbing darker
colour. Also, pure black and white cougars have been captured by hidden cameras, proving they
do exist, but they are very rare.

When it comes to habitat, cougars are highly adaptive. With their wide deployment across
the Americas they can be found in all forest types, mountainous regions, grasslands and even arid
desert regions. However, they tend to avoid land clearance sites, areas populated by humans and
any large open areas, like agricultural land. Although cougars tend to live very solitary lives they
are not unsociable animals. Cougars are territorial, and their large territories will normally over-
lap other territories occupied by females, their young and other males. This neighbourly group,
will often socialize, even share kills with one another. However, interlopers or outsiders are not
welcome. Cougars communicate with one another through a variety of sounds like a growl, hiss,
mew, squeak, spit, or purr. They also make short, high-pitched
screams and whistle-like calls to attract attention.

Cougars are carnivores and live on a wide range of animals such
as mice, beavers, raccoons, hares, deer, elk, moose, mountain goats
and bighorn sheep. When hunting cougars will normally forage
around looking for smaller prey like mice and beavers, but when
hunting bigger prey like deer and elk they become stalking predators,
patiently hugging the ground and waiting until the time is right. Once
they have made a large kill, they will drag the carcass to a secluded
cache site and cover it with leaves and debris. Bedding down close to
the carcass it will return over a period of days, feeding off the re-
mains. Although cougars have no predators that prey on it, conflicts
over kills do occur. Bears, packs of wolves, tigers, and even other cou-
gars will try to drive off the cougar and steal the kill. There are even
reports of large bears and packs of wolves killing cougars.