| Puma, Mountain Lion, Cougar, Catamount Puma concolor |
Size: females 34-48 kg (75-106 lbs) males 53-72 kg (117-158 lbs).
Habitat: Pumas are found in a wide range of habitats, from cold, temperate forests to tropical rainforests, from mountains to deserts.
Primary prey: Pumas are generalist predators whose diets vary according to what is available. In the mountains and forests of North America, they favor deer but in the tropics, they are more likely to prey on hares and large rodents.
Conservation Status: Stable (Endangered in Florida and probably Vulnerable in many parts of its range).
Principal threats: Persecution by livestock ranchers; inbreeding depression (Florida).
Distribution: Formerly distributed throughout the New World from southern Canada to the southern tip of South America, the puma has been eliminated from almost all of midwestern and eastern North America. Nevertheless, it has the largest range of any terrestrial mammal in the western hemisphere.
Notable Features: The puma has relatively long hindlimbs and a long, heavy tail. It is a quiet cat that cannot roar, although females in estrous may make piercing calls. Its closest relative among the big cats appears to be the cheetah.
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