Cougars are the true ghosts of the American wilderness. These powerful predators roam vast distances from the Canadian Yukon down to the Andes mountains. While you might call them mountain lions or pumas, they remain secretive and elusive. Their ability to adapt to almost any environment makes them true survivors. Consequently, they hold a unique place in the animal kingdom. Let’s explore the wild reality of these incredible cats.
Cougars
Cougars hold the Guinness World Record for the animal with the highest number of names. In fact, dictionaries list over 40 titles for them, including mountain lion, puma, and catamount.
Technically, scientists do not classify them as “big cats” because they cannot roar. Instead, they purr just like domestic house cats because their throat structure is completely rigid.
Their most famous vocalization is a bone-chilling scream that sounds exactly like a terrified woman. Females primarily use this eerie call during mating season to signal their location to males.
They possess incredible athletic ability and can jump 18 feet (5.5 meters) straight up from a sitting position. Additionally, they can leap an impressive 40 feet (12 meters) horizontally in a single powerful bound.
Cougars have the widest geographic range of any wild land animal in the Americas. You can find them living in the Canadian Yukon, the Florida swamps, and the Chilean Andes.
Surprisingly, their closest living relative is not the lion or tiger, but the African cheetah. DNA analysis confirms they share a unique evolutionary ancestor that separated them from other felines.
Kittens enter the world with bright blue eyes and a coat covered in black spots. However, these features fade completely within six months to help them blend into their surroundings.
These predators are ambush hunters that rely entirely on stealth rather than long, exhausting chases. Therefore, they usually stalk within 30 feet (9 meters) of their prey before launching a sudden attack.
Cougars are incredibly strong and can physically take down prey three times their own size. For example, a single cat can successfully hunt and kill a fully grown 700-pound (317 kg) moose.
After a successful hunt, they intelligently bury their leftovers with leaves, dirt, and sticks. This behavior, known as caching, keeps the meat fresh and hides it from hungry scavengers.
Although they are not famous for swimming, they are actually quite capable in the water. Researchers have documented them swimming between islands off the coast of Washington to find new territory.
The scientific name Puma concolor perfectly describes their simple physical appearance. It literally translates to “cat of one color,” referring to their uniform tawny or gray coat.
Males are extremely territorial and require massive amounts of private space to roam. Consequently, a single male often controls a home range that covers over 100 square miles (259 square km).
These cats can run at top speeds of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) when chasing food. However, they lack the endurance to maintain this high pace for more than a few seconds.
The Florida Panther is a specific subspecies of Cougars found only in southern swamplands. Sadly, less than 200 of these rare animals remain in the wild due to habitat loss.
